Soulmates
by Erynnar
Summary: The archdemon is slain, Alistair lies dead, or does he? And the last Grey Warden must fight Queen Anora with the help of her friends. Swoopers and Zev lovers rejoice, you get your cake and eat it too. An AU after the Blight tale.
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE: SPOILERS. Also, I don't own anything from Dragon Age; it is all owned by BioWare. Only the name of my character and her Dog or anything you don't recognize from the game are mine. Special thanks to BioWare and David Gaider whose books I enjoy. Thank you for reading and I hope everyone who reads it, enjoys it.**

_**So, my first fanfic or first writing done in more than 15 years! I was so inspired by Dragon Age Origins, and Mr. Gaider's writing, that I took a deep breath and put fingers to the keyboard. I was going to start easy with a simple retelling of the Noble origin. But this story of "what happens after," got a hold of me and wouldn't let go. I hope you find it entertaining. Thank you for reading.**_

_And thanks to all who have supported and encouraged me! : )_

_Blessings!_

"You can't do this, it is my duty." Kai argued.

"I want to be a good king. This makes me a good king, right? I save all of Ferelden from the Blight; I save you."

Kai stared at him, her heart beating so fast and so hard surely it could be heard by everyone atop the tower. "No, it is I who have led us. I made the hard decisions. Most of my family lies dead due to Arl Howe's treachery. My brother Fergus is probably dead, too. This is mine to do. Ferelden needs her king, a king of Theirin blood. Not Anora, you." She gestured with her hands pleading. "I need you to live, my love, my beloved, my heart. You will be a great king. You must live."

He drew her in close. His lips met hers. She put everything into this last kiss. She wanted him to take part of her soul in their mingled breath before she gave the rest of it slaying the archdemon. She allowed herself to take strength from his warmth, his soft lips on hers, the way the stubble on his chin rubbed against her skin. She felt the cold metal of his Dead Legion armor under one hand and the feel of his hair beneath the fingertips of the other. She took in the scent of him, of her beloved — a scent she could recognize even over all the blood and gore that covered them both. These things she would take with her when she passed into the Fade. They parted as he stepped back, running his fingers down the side of her face.

She looked into his dark gray eyes willing him to see the love for him shining in her own. She turned away from him to move to the arch demon, and…nothing! Her whole body was caught in mid-stride and surrounded by glowing rings of power. A paralysis spell. Sod it! Kai caught the knowing look that passed between Alistair and Wynne. He simply looked at her with eyes the color of thunderclouds in a storm, love and regret showing in them. "This is the most sane thing I have ever done." He gave her his lopsided smile and turned from her.

Kai watched in horror as he paused and then began running toward the great dragon as it reared up in one last attempt to live. She watched everything in slow motion as if they were all underwater. Watched as Alistair grabbed a sword sticking out of a nearby corpse and without breaking stride heaved himself at the arch demon. One smooth motion had him sliding on his knees through all the blood and gore, slicing the dragon's underbelly, letting his momentum carry him the length of the beast. Almost like some macabre dance, he came back to his feet avoiding the tail as the arch demon screamed in mortal agony, its huge darkly scaled body shuddering in a death throe.

She wanted to scream with it. Kai redoubled her efforts, sweating with her fight to break the spell that held her. Whether from exhaustion or because Wynne had become distracted by what they were witnessing, Kai was finally able to move. Both of them began to run toward Alistair. "Ali, NO!" Kai screamed at him. He simply turned and with the utmost calm on his face raised the sword over the archdemon.

"I love you, always." Alistair told her, before plunging the point of the sword into the head of the monstrous beast. Kai watched as white light speared out surrounding the sword and her beloved as he twisted the sword with a sickening crunch. She could tell he was in pain, but he did not falter or flinch.

Suddenly it felt as if all the air around them was being sucked toward the center of the tower where man and beast hung suspended. Kai couldn't breathe, and she gasped and looked at Wynne before turning her gaze back to Alistair. It was only a moment, but it felt like a long pause between inhaling and exhaling. Then, the world exploded as the air sucked in now blew outward in a ring of immense pressure and blinding white light. The sound made Kai scream and reflexively cover her ears. The shock wave hit her, and she only had a moment to contemplate flying through the air before the world went black.

When she came to, her right arm felt as if it were on fire and dangled uselessly at her side. Broken then, she thought, along with a few ribs on that side as well. Her head thrummed in time with her pulse. Disoriented, she thought for a moment she was back at camp. They had stopped a darkspawn raid on a caravan. Kai had taken a nasty blow to the head from a hurlock. They must have put her in her tent. "Nug humper!" she groaned. It occurred to her that she was spending entirely too much time around Oghren, he was a bad influence on her language skills. Alistair would blame himself for letting her get hurt. Had blamed himself for letting her get hurt. "Alistair, oh Great Maker, no!" Not camp, the tower at Fort Drakon! Kai struggled up, heaving herself to her feet. She looked for him and saw his crumpled form lying next to the head of the arch demon.

Her world went gray. All the pain of her broken body receded as if it belonged to someone else. She didn't notice when she stumbled on rubble or slid on stones slick with blood. She paid no heed when she tripped over the corpse of a Redcliffe knight, catching herself with her broken arm, or trying to anyway. She would not, could not stop until she reached him.

Somehow she managed to heave him partway into her lap with her good arm. Kai kept hearing someone one screaming and crying his name in great choking sobs, but the sound came from a long distance away. When she looked at his face, it was covered in droplets of water. Was it raining? Part of her mind wondered at these things with a detached fascination.

In the end it had been Sten who had pulled her away from his body so that Oghren, Zev, and Leliana could carry it away. Her Mabari war hound, Argus, whined and pressed close to his mistress trying to comfort her. She had struggled, but the giant Qunari merely held her close with no more effort than a child holding a doll. He simply stoked her hair and whispered, "Kadan" over and over again.

Wynne attempted to perform healing magic on her, though she was in no better shape than Kai. But Kai had spat at her with what little moisture her body had left. "Get away from me, witch! Betrayer, deceiver, I hate you!" Kai had screamed at her, and Wynne had pulled away as if she had been slapped. Kai railed and screamed until her voice had become nothing more than a croak.

Finally, she was so exhausted she collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut. She had a vague impression of Sten carrying her out of the tower, and another of being placed in a bed in a darkened room. Then, the blessed blackness of sleep had swallowed her and no dreams from the Fade, even of darkspawn from her tainted blood, had disturbed her. Bless the Maker.


	2. Chapter 2

**Reminder, I own nothing about Dragon Age Origins, it all belongs to BioWare. And special thanks to Mr. Gaider for inspiring me as well with his books based on same. I hope you enjoy Chapter 2.**

Kai woke slowly, surfacing to consciousness like a swimmer rising from underwater. Her eyelids fluttered open to a darkened room she barely remembered being placed in. Her arm felt stiff but it was mended, as were her other broken bones. Wynne's work despite the venom she had thrown at her. She could sense the older mage's magic. After all their time on the road, and wounds healed, each mage's magic had its own unique flavor. Kai had learned Wynne's, as she had been healed enough by her.

Her head hurt and her eyes felt swollen and gritty. Had someone poured a bucket of sand in each one while she lay helpless? She felt the tug of bandages and the itch of wounds healing with poultices. Another familiarity after so much fighting. Wynne's work as well, no doubt. "It should drink a lot of water." The resonant voice of the golem Shale caused Kai to jump. For something, no someone, so large Shale could be very quiet.

Suddenly the dark room was lit with a pulsing neon green glow as Shale brightened the crystals embedded in her stone skin. Interesting, Kai had no idea she could do that. Of course the pulsing green glow didn't help her headache as it caused the room's shadows to deepen and recede with each pulse. "Sent to watch over me I see." Kai's voice was hoarse and it hurt to talk. Andraste's flaming sword, had someone poured sand down her throat too? "Here to make sure I don't have access to sharp objects or high windows?" Kai attempted to joke with Shale, but even to her own ears it sounded hollow.

"Well, it was quite distraught." Not able to get jokes at the best of times, Shale had apparently decided she was probably serious. Only Kai or one of their other long time traveling companions might have caught the hidden worry in Shale's voice.

"Was distraught, probably isn't the proper term. More like, I am, Shale. But thank you."

Shale cocked her head at Kai. Well, at least the golem equivalent of a head tilt. "It should drink a lot of water. It is dehydrated, since squishy things are very hard to be made to drink when they are unconscious." Shale stared at Kai pointedly. "It will also need to eat if it is not to perish." Though anyone else would think from the golem's tone that having her perish would not be that bad, Kai knew better.

"Don't bother, I am not hungry." In fact, Kai wondered if she would ever be hungry again. She felt numb and cold inside. But she knew that underneath that lay a surge of grief, despair, and anger so great, that if she gave in to it, she might not be able to stop. Maybe she should have Oghren teach her how to be a berserker after all. At least no one would have to kick her in her, well, sensitive areas like that one dwarf he told her about. Kai began to swing herself over to the side of the bed, experimenting gingerly with her newly healed arm. It was stiff but working. In truth, other than a headache from dehydration, there was no pain anywhere.

There was, however, another sensation. A hole it seemed, where her heart should be. No, not a hole, Kai corrected herself. A stone heart had replaced the one that had held Alistair. Kai snorted as she choked on a laugh that threatened to become a sob. Here she was with a golem whose heart _was_ made of stone. Maybe they should start a group, 'The Heart of Stone Club,' happy people need not apply.

Alistair would laugh tat that. _ Would_ have laughed at that. Andraste's knickers, how long would it take her to stop expecting him to walk through a door any minute? That overwhelming grief began to surface again. It took everything Kai had left in her to buckle it down.

Concentrating on getting her newly healed body out of bed was a great distraction. Swinging her legs to the side of the bed and standing were two very different things. When she attempted to stand, the room suddenly tilted and spun. She would have reached out and caught herself on the bedpost, but Shale reached out and steadied her first. "It needs to eat." The golem was positively growling at her this time.

"Why this sudden urge to have me eat?" Kai asked amused. Shale had never seen fit to nag her before, as the golem found 'squishy' beings bodily functions a weakness one did not discuss.

"Because it has been unconscious for six days." Shale walked over to the fireplace her steps causing the floor to vibrate with every step. Using the lightening crystals in embedded in her forearms Shale lit the wood set there ablaze. Maker's Breath, six days? Kai could scarcely believe it. Wouldn't have believed it, but the golem was not one to exaggerate or joke.

"Six days, did I miss Alistair's funeral?" Kai couldn't decide if that would be a good thing or a bad thing.

"No, the elder mage creature magicked the body to keep it from corrupting as squishy things do." Wynne again. Kai had seen the mage do something similar to their food as they traveled.

"Great, so now I'm a nug steak?" Kai heard Alistair's laughing voice near her ear as if he were standing right there. Kai looked around the almost empty room. Wishful thinking Kai, get a hold of yourself she berated herself mentally. The sound of his voice had stirred up such a longing and sorrow she had to bite her lower lip and clench and unclench her hands to gain control again.

Shale's voice came back into focus still speaking as the golem had heard nothing. "Then the body was packed along with the Queen, and all of us, and taken to Highever. That is what it wanted, isn't it?" Kai took a stunned look around the room and realized they had put her in her parent's room. Arl Howe hadn't apparently had the time to rearrange the portions of Highever he hadn't burned. What with all the arlships, and the teyrnship, and the dirty work for Loghain. Oh, and the fact that he was dead after she ran the sodding bastard through with the Cousland family sword.

Seeing her parents's things still where they were on the night it had all been taken away from her, caused a different grief and rage to vie for her attention along with the feelings she had for Alistair's death. A grief that she had never had the time to properly give herself to, what with the joining, and the fall of Ostagar, and the whole Blight thing. Kai stared at the floor, and watched as the rug became all misty. Shale still had her back to Kai and didn't notice her distress. Which is just as well, what kind of comfort could one get from a figure of stone who had given up being squishy to become a war machine?

" I shall let the others know it is awake and see that it gets food." With that Shale turned and moved towards the door, causing the floor to vibrate once again. "Perhaps it should dress itself?" And then the golem shut the door. Kai would be surprised if there wasn't an implied threat about getting clothed. Shale would not doubt have no trouble throwing her into clothes if the golem had a mind to.

Kai took tentative steps away from the bed, testing her legs for balance. It became apparent that balance wasn't really the problem, but that her legs wanted to tremble. She made her way to a table nearby, set with a pitcher and cup. She hadn't realized how thirsty she was until the first sip cool her parched throat.

Despite her desire to gulp great quantities of it, she resisted the temptation to do so over her good sense. Too much too soon, and it would all just come back up after such long time with an empty stomach. She had learned that the hard way after a lengthy healing session back when they were fighting darkspawn.

Shale had said something about dressing. Kai figured that might be a prudent course of action since the others Shale no doubt meant to tell would include Arl Eamon, Ban Teagan, or even Queen Anora. And who knew what other nobles and sycophants were here as well who would want to see the 'Hero of Ferelden.' Kai snorted an unlady like snort. She wasn't sure if she would laugh, cry, or stab with her dagger, the first person who called her that.

The only one of her companions she worried about seeing her in her small clothes was Zevran. And it wasn't that Zev hadn't seen her in her small clothes, camping in the woods didn't leave a lot for privacy unless one wanted to try dressing while kneeling in a tent. No, it was that Zev could turn something as harmless as buying a loaf of bread into a sexual innuendo. And that he had always made his interest in her known didn't help. But she had always had Alistair to act as a shield against Zev's come ons. Now she wasn't so sure she was strong enough to resist, especially since she knew she was going to long for a warm body next to her at night. She couldn't do that to Alistair's memory, or Zev for that matter. It would be unfair especially to Zev. "Unfair to Zev, bloody hell woman, you better keep your daggers under your pillow. Who knows what that slick Antivan has planned now that I am out of the way!" Alistair's voice sounded in her ear again and she found herself reflexively looking in the room.

Then, another frightening thought caused Kai to groan inwardly. Leliana the shoe obsessed bard, and Lady Isolde Eamon's fluffy chit of a wife, would no doubt partner together to dress her according to her 'station.' She really didn't think she could deal with that. "What, you don't fancy layers of toile, tons of ribbons, and looking like a meringue?" Kai heard Alistair's voice again as if he was standing right beside her. She spun around expecting to see him standing there grinning at her. OK, she thought, I really do need to eat. Can auditory hallucinations be caused by a lack of food?

Kai looked at the pile of clothes folded neatly next to the pitcher, which she hadn't noticed in her quest to slake her thirst. She started to take up what looked to be a simple tunic type shirt, thank The Maker, when she saw a red rose laid gently on top of the shirt.

Alistair's rose, the rose she later learned had been growing on a dead rose bush and had caused Leliana to join them as it was a sign from The Maker for her to do so. A rose that never withered, or bruised, or seemed to take damage. Its perfume remained as well.

She buried her nose in it now, as she had many, many times before. It transported her to that night in camp when Alistair had given it to her.

******************

"Here, look at this. Do you know what this is?" Alistair asked as he had handed her the crimson bloom.

"Is this a trick question?" She quipped, a smile dancing at the corners of her lips.

"Yes, absolutely! I am trying to trick you. Is it working? I just about had you didn't I?" His own grin had mirrored her own.

Then his smile faded and he looked sad for a moment. "I picked it in Lothering. I remember thinking, who could something so beautiful exist in a place with so much despair and ugliness?" He paused for a moment. "I probably should have left it alone, but I couldn't. The dark spawn would come and their taint would just destroy it. So I've had it ever since." Alistair shuffled from foot to foot. "I thought that I might, give it to you, actually."

Kai watched as a flush had crept up his cheeks, and he looked as if he was afraid she was going to laugh at him, so he hurried on. "In a lot of ways, I think the same thing when I look at you." This statement caused him to blush even more.

Kai had glanced down at the rose and then at this man, who did not know how good a man he was. "That is a sweet thought, and a wonderful compliment." Kai felt a blush of her own creeping up her neck.

"I 'm glad you like it. I was just thinking, here I am doing all this complaining and you haven't exactly been having a good time of it yourself. You've had not of the good experiences of being a Gray Warden, since your joining. Not a word of thanks or congratulations. It has all been death and fighting and tragedy." His expression was one of hopefulness as if she desired her what, her approval, but expected to get kicked instead?

Kai inwardly fumed at Arl Eamon for being so weak that he allowed his Orlesian fluff of pretty young wife to make a little boy's life hell, and then insist he be given into what amounted to slavery, by sending him to the Chantry. And all because his feathered headed spouse was jealous and thought he was Eamon's bastard, not King Maric's. Some of her dire thoughts for the Lady Isolde much have shown on her face because Alistair got more nervous and almost stopped. Kai gave him a brilliant smile and put a comforting hand on his arm, so he continued.

"I thought that maybe I should say something. Tell you what a rare and wonderful thing you are amidst all this darkness." Alistair pinched his fingers together and blushed even harder if that were possible. Kai felt her heart sort of do a dance and tip over in her chest, and she realized in a blink, that she was falling in love with this kind and wonderful man. She looked into his dark gray eyes, and at his hopeful expression, and knew she could not help herself.

Suddenly she found her own voice choked up, and she found it hard to speak. "I feel the same way about you." Afraid that if she told him her sudden feelings that he would reject her. She thought this must be how Alistair feels, wanting so badly the approval of another.

He had smiled that lopsided grin at her and said, "I am glad you like it. Now if we could move on past this awkward, embarrassing stage, and get right to the steamy bits I would appreciate it."

She countered his humor with her own, "OK, off with the armor then!" Kai's smile widened as his already pink face turned scarlet. He laughed nervously.

"Bluff called! Damn, she saw right through me." He had shuffled his feet some more while Kai resisted the urge to laugh at the both of them. "I'll be standing over here," he gestured pointing behind him in camp, "until the blushing stops. Just to be safe. You know how it is."

* * *

Her internal refection was broken by the sound of someone opening the door to the bedroom. "Thunder humper!" Kai breathed under her breath as she tried to quickly grab the robe that was at the foot of the bed. Daydreaming instead of dressing, serves you right if it turns out to be Leli or Lady Isolde with satin and silk, she chastised herself. She barely had time to register that the robe had been her mothers before a male hand holding a tray showed around the edge of the door. Well, not Leliana or Isolde, Ban Teagon or Eamon then. "Blast it!" Kai huffed as she tried to tie up the robe. As she fumbled with the ribbons, the hurrying only making it slower and harder, she heard a well loved voice.

"Mother would be appalled with your language if she could hear you now little sister."


	3. Chapter 3

**All names and places save the name of the main character are the intellectual property of BioWare.**

* * *

Kai forgot the damnable ties and spun around to find her brother Fergus alive, and placing a tray on the table. It was a good thing he had managed to set it down completely before Kai launched herself at him saying his name over and over again. She buried her face into his into his neck as hot tears wet his collar. She couldn't believe it. She had searched for any sign of him before the joining while in the Kocari Wilds. She had forced herself to look at the faces of every bloated corpse they had come upon, thinking one of them was going to be him.

When none had, she had hoped to search again but had been dissuaded in Lothering. Morrigan had pointed out he was either dead, or would show with stragglers in the North., or would soon be dead due to the horde of darkspawn in the Wilds. And she did not have the luxury of looking, so she had to give up. She had put aside any hope and left her brother for dead. Soon tears of joy turned to tears of shame and guilt. She had abandoned him just like she had mother and father.

Fergus just held her, and stroked her hair the way Sten had. He told her it wasn't her fault, but she knew better. Fergus didn't know what else to do, as she wasn't a person who gave way to tears easily, but she seemed unable to help herself lately. She hadn't even cried when she broke her arm in her first battle training trying to use a shield. In fact, the only time Fergus had ever seen her cry like this was when an elven playmate had been ruthlessly run over by a visiting noble's carriage. Kai knew he must be wondering what to with her now as he had wondered back then. But she could not hold back, something had to give or she would break. Finally the grief seemed to abate some, like steam escaping from a dwarven made water pipe. Fergus gently pulled her up from the floor and sat her down at the table in front of the tray. He handed her a napkin which she used to wipe her face and her running nose. Great, her eyes felt like sand and acid had now been rubbed into them.

"Eat or that stone friend of yours will break me in two. And I am not so sure about that giant fellow, Sten?" Kai nodded "I am not sure he won't rip my arms off if I don't feed you . I like your friends little sister. They are very protective of you." Fergus poured her another glass of water, having brought second pitcher in case she had emptied the first. "Though I have to admit, the Antivan elf seemed to be flirting with me." Kai knew he was trying to lighten her mood, so she obliged him with a laugh.

"Don't be too flattered brother dear, Zev flirts with everyone." Kai picked up the horn spoon next to the bowl of steaming broth. She carefully spooned some up and took a tentative sip. It was spiced with herbs, she suspected healing ones as well as those for flavor. "What happened to you Fergus?" Kai asked as she broke off a small piece of bread to soak in the broth.

"I was out on patrol as you know. I never made it back to Ostagar. We were set upon by a band of darkspawn. I woke up in a Chasind's hut wounded and feverish. By the time I had healed enough to leave, you had already begun to stop the Blight."

Kai looked down at her bowl. "I am so sorry about Oriana and Oren. Oh Fergus, I should have looked harder for you!" Kai balled her hands up next to the tray.

" I know you are sorry for them and I try not to think of them too much. But you did the right thing little sister." Fergus grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "You did your duty, and we Couslands always-"

"Always do our duty first. Those were some of the last words Father said to me." Kai's eyes swam with tears, but she genuinely laughed. "You are turning into Father in your old age brother!"

Fergus laughed. "And you are turning into Mother. But you won't see me grow older if you don't eat. Remember your rather large and insistent friends?" Fergus nudged her bowl closer.

"Hah, you are turning into Mother more than me brother dear. You nag just like her!" It felt good to have the old familiar banter with someone who knew her so well. But her smile quickly turned pensive again as she remembered the last time they were all together before Fergus left. She wondered how long it would be before such memories were welcome rather than sad. Kai continued to eat, after all, she liked her brother in one piece. She was sure that Sten and Shale were just joking, or at least mostly joking. So they sat in companionable silence.

"Oh, I like your brother, I just wish we had met in person." Alistair's voice came again to her ear, and she joggled the spoon spilling some. Luckily Fergus paid no notice, and she continued to soak pieces of bread and spoon up broth. She soon found herself full though, her stomach not used to holding much was feeling full fast.

She set the spoon aside and looked at her brother's handsome face, so like their father's. "Fergus, when is the funeral? I know they held it off. Figuring it must have taken, if the roads were clear, about four days from Denerim to get here? Then another two days, while everyone waited for me to wake up." Kai found herself nibbling more bread though her stomach had turned queasy. "I would guess we need to get it done, and I would like to get it over with." Especially Kai thought, just to get the false praise Anora no doubt meant to lavish on Alistair now that he was out of the way to her crown and throne.

"What, you don't enjoy simpering political clap trap my love?" Again that beloved voiced sounded as if he sat on the other side of her from Fergus. It was squeezing her heart to a pulsing bruise, she didn't know if she was just tormenting herself. What as some form of punishment for letting him sacrifice himself?

Then Kai had another thought. Anora would indeed shower Alistair's memory with an eloquent speech worthy of any gardner needing composting material. But it wouldn't hide her hatred of him from anyone who remembered her being put in the tower when she refused to swear allegiance to Alistair. She had been released to be queen because he fell, as he had ordered. But she would not forget. Nor was she likely to forget who had made Alistair king at the Landsmeet. Kai might need to hire a food taster, or since that could cause someone to die, ask Zev about anti-dotes. "What is on your mind little sister? You seem lost in troubling thoughts." Fergus eyed her across the table.

"Fergus, Anora is only queen because Alistair fell. I promised Anora I would support her in the Landsmeet, and then I made Alistair king. I don't think she is going to harbor much love for me, and it may fall on you too."

"You have never been one to go back on your word sister. I know there is more to this story." Fergus lifted an eyebrow. So, much like Father she thought. Kai figured she should start with their confrontation with Loghain when they got to Denerim. Unlike Anora, Kai and Fergus had been raised in the nobility and all of its political maneuvering. Anora had been raised to it later in childhood. Kai told Fergus of Anora's elven handmaiden showing up at Eamon's estate with a tale of woe and kidnapping. Of a daughter in danger from her father, her very life supposedly threatened. "Hmm, I find that hard to believe." Fergus scratched his chin. He echoed exactly what Kai had thought. "Loghain may have been a regicide and a deserter, but he would never have killed his only child, or allowed someone to do it."

Kai told Fergus of using her secret weapon, the Antivan Elf Zeveran. Assassin, and heart breaker of men and women everywhere, Zev had agreed that it was suspicious and would do what he could. So Kai had stalled Erlina the handmaiden. Saying they needed several days to prepare in case the disguises didn't work. When Erlina agreed without much protest, Kai's suspicions had been given a little more weight. She knew that Anora was in no real danger from Howe. "So I take it your friend found out something that made you play Anora along?"

"What Zev discovered was fascinating to say the least brother." Kai leaned forward. "He found out that Anora had staged the whole thing. Including paying a mage to 'magic' the door. All designed to convince Eamon and myself of Anora's loyalty against her father." Kai found herself playing with horn spoon, an occupational hazard of a rogue used to playing with daggers and always keeping her hands busy.

"This is getting more intriguing by the minute." Fergus grinned at her.

"Oh to be sure, that wasn't the half of it. Anora had set her little co-conspirator, to leak that there was a kidnapping taking place, to Loghain's second Ser Cauthrien. If I had asked Anora to confirm that we were rescuing her, she would have lied and told her father's soldiers that we were abducting her."

"She was playing both sides against the middle it seems." Fergus grunted.

" I suspect that the was just using us to hold the crown. When she realized that the winds had changed against her father and Howe, she needed to switch tactics and sides. When it started to unravel, Anora was looking out for Anora."

"Well, she is her father's daughter." Alistair's voice again whispered in her ear.

Kai went on. "Since I knew to expect Ser Cauthrien and a few dozen of Loghain's guards, I hid a few lock picks in the braids of my hair and simply surrendered peacefully when we were confronted."

"Ah that is my resourceful little sister. I think Anora met her match in you."

Kai smiled. "Well you can see why I was not about to really support her for queen."

"Indeed, she reminds me of something. Do you remember that zoological book we used to look at as children? The one with all the colored pictures of the animals of Thedas?" Kai nodded.

Fergus continued. "Anora reminds me of the Orlesian viper called Fleur de Lis Le Mort. Very pretty, very delicate, and very-"

"Very nasty. Yes, me too. And it fits Anora too a T. Which means you need to watch your back as well Fergus. I will not, cannot lose you too." Kai looked at her brother, love and fear warring on her face.

"Well then, maybe I should let your Antivan Assassin land one, little sister, an assassin could provide great protection, no?" Fergus laughed at the look on her face.

"I wouldn't let that sodding elf touch me if I were you, don't know where he's been, or what species he's been with." Came Oghren's gruff and raspy voice as her friends came trooping in.

"My dwarven friend, I am wounded! I only sleep with things that walk on two legs I assure you!" Zev's voice came through the doorway as he followed Oghren into the room.

Kai smiled and turned to address the gathering of her extended family.


	4. Chapter 4

**I own nothing except my character and her dog's name. All else belongs to BioWare. **

_To the wonderful people who have reviewed and put this on your favorites, thank you so much! I am deeply honored. I also apologize if this chapter is a little meh. I have a terrible head cold and I am not at my best with a head full of goop. But I hope it isn't too bad ( I am my own worst critic) and it will still have you reading along. Thanks again for the love, I am enjoying writing it._

Apparently Oghren was carrying provisions, if your idea of provisions included two pony kegs of ale that is. Oghren had one under each arm as he staggered through the doorway. Zev followed behind with another tray holding wooden mugs and a jug of milk? Kai felt her eyebrows raising in curiosity. Argus, her Mabari war hound, came behind Zev herding Schmooples, Leliana's nug pet. Schmooples's nose twitched and it eyed the room nervously.

The nug always looked nervous truth be told. After all, in Orzamar Schmooples would be a snack, so it had good reason Kai figured. Its pink, and mostly hairless body, looked like an unholy cross between a rabbit and a pig. Kai had gotten Schmooples as a gift for the bard when she found there was something else besides shoes that Leliana loved. The only problem with Schmooples was keeping an eye on Oghren, who tended to eye the creature whenever he was drunk, hungry, or both, the way Kai might eye a ham.

If Schmooples was being herded by Argus, that meant that Leliana must not be far behind. And it wasn't a second before her fiery red hair showed around the door frame. The bard had yet another bottle of alcohol, and honey meade from the looks of it. Leli refused to drink that 'horse piss,' as she put it, that Oghren favored. In her other hand was she held her lute. Leli immediately began looking for Schmooples and keeping an eye on Oghren. Leliana set her bottle on the table and put herself next to Kai, between Oghren and her pet.

Sten came next with a plate piled high with, cookies? Kai found herself smiling, so that was what the milk was for. Sten didn't drink alcohol, but he had an almost obsessive love of cookies. Leli must have had a talk with Fergus about her friends's likes and dislikes. Just like her, Kai thought. Leliana could kill easily, and do it very well, but she had a sweet and kind soul. Shale followed Sten carrying extra chairs so no one had to sit on the floor. It appeared the gang was all here, but for three.

Morrigan had left before the battle, after Kai had refused her offer to perform a sex rite to save the Gray Wardens, she said. That really stung, Morrigan could have at least helped fight at the end, but she had taken herself off in a snit. Kai loved Morrigan like a sister, she thought the witch loved her too. Best not to think of that Kai, she told herself. It threatened to touch on the guilt, anger, and pain she felt over how it had all played out.

Alistair of course, was also missing. "Am I, if you say so." She was beginning to get used to hearing it now. If she was just tormenting herself, so be it. Or a desire demon? She pointedly asked into her own head. "Only desire, no demon here. " Came the cheeky response. Kai groaned inwardly, well if she had to torture herself it would at least have his humor. She could do nothing about it anyway.

And one more was missing, Wynne. Kai noticed everyone judiciously trying not to make it obviously noticeable. If she was going to be honest, she wasn't sure how she felt about Wynne's conspiring with Alistair to stop her taking the final blow. Her feelings towards that seemed to be below the same numb wall that her grief for her family and Alistair sat behind. She guessed not seeing Wynne right now might not be a bad idea at this point.

"You need to forgive her love. She only did what I, as her king, ordered her to do." Alistair's voice again in her ear, tinged this time, with concern and regret.

You would, she thought. Who knew Alistair could be so manipulative and sneaky? "I learned it from Morrigan." Came another cheeky response. Kai gave herself a mental head slap. She was broken off from her internal exchanged by a hand on her shoulder.

"I am so sorry about Alistair, Kai." Leliana said her blue eyes filled with tears.

"We all are Warden. The little pike twirler will be missed." Oghren poured himself a mug of ale and made it disappear.

"Kadan." For one word, Sten could infuse it with multiple layers of meaning. His tone too, said he was sorry and that he had respect for Alistair.

"Aw, isn't that nice, Sten liked me in the end. Though I really wish Oghren wouldn't call me that." Alistair's voice continued as if he was right there taking it all in. Ugh, maybe she needed to make a trip to the Circle to find out why she was talking to herself, if that is all this was. Kai felt her eyes welling up as she smiled at them all, trying to comfort them, comforting her.

"To answer your question Warden, the funeral is tomorrow." Oghren proceeded to pour more ale into his mug. "It was going to be with or without you."

"Anora said she didn't want to delay the funeral out of respect-" Leliana started to say.

"Out of respect for her own itching hands to get the sodding crown!" Oghren interrupted. "As soon as the funeral is over, it is back to Denerim and to the Landsmeet hall. The Revered Mother will bless Anora and that nug humping chit will be queen." Oghren took a long drink from his mug and belched.

Fergus, who had been taking in all this in silence laughed at Oghren's assessment. "My dear sister and I were just having a chat about our soon to be queen of Ferelden, again."

"The drunken dwarf is quite correct. One would guess that this Anora creature is only having the funeral because of appearances." Shale growled from where she was standing.

Leli's lilting Orlesian accent concurred. "She knows that the people would never allow her to forgo the funeral of the man who saved them. If I didn't know better, I would almost swear that this woman was Orlesian nobility. She could play the 'Great Game' relatively well enough."

"But enough of such talk." Interjected Zev's accented voice. "We have ale, we have wine, we have beautiful women, and if our dear Leliana would be so kind." He tilted his head toward the bard. "We will have song."

"We have nug which is tasty!" Burst in Oghren, to which he received a smack on the arm from Leliana, jarring his mug and spilling some of its contents. "Careful woman! Fergus was kind enough to dig this out of Highever's meager stores, don't waste it!" Oghren poured another mug and handed it to Fergus. "You look like a light weight to me." He winked and made yet another mug disappear before wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Oh, you are so crude!" Leliana huffed, but she grabbed her lute and began to adjust the strings. Leli started with a song Kai knew well, as they had sung it many times around the campfire. It was a sad and humorous tale of two sisters vying for the same man causing the older sister to try and do the younger in. It required the group to join in on the chorus so everyone felt a part of it. It had been one of Alistair's favorites because the the sister and miller who ultimately let the sibling drown, got their comeuppance.

"There were to sisters side by side, sing I dum sing I day. There were two sister's side by side, the boys are bound for me..." And soon everyone, even Fergus, had joined in. And so the night went with snatches of songs, cookies stolen, laughter and stories. It became apparent to Kai that they were all trying to keep her mind off of tomorrow, and Kai loved them even more for it. Still the dread was there if she let it. Eventually Kai found her eyes drooping and her head nodding.

"Well, time to let the Warden get some shut eye." Slurred Oghren. "Of course you would think with six sodding days of sleep she would have had enough by now." This statement earned him another smack on the arm from Leliana. "Watch it woman, I might mistake you for Branka and crawl into bed with you." Leli just clucked her tongue, picked up her lute and Schmooples and nudged the dwarf towards the door with her foot.

Slowly they all filed out with the exception of Argus and Fergus. Argus planted himself on the floor near the foot of the bed. Fergus hovered near the door. "Good night little sister. I am in your old room if you need me." With that he kissed her on the forehead and shut the door. Kai turned back towards the bed. Guess it is a good thing she didn't get dressed after all, she thought. Instead she took off the robe, she never had gotten the damn thing tied in the front, and laid it on the foot of the bed. Kai found herself filled with that dread she had pushed away all night, and hugged her arms around herself.

"My dear Gray Warden, what distressing thoughts are in your mind?" Kai whirled around to find Zevran standing there looking at her. She laughed rather than screamed, just barely, which was a good thing. The assassin had managed to stay in the shadows unnoticed while the others had filed out.

"Kai." Zev rarely spoke her name, usually calling her 'my dear Gray Warden.' And even now, he said her name so softly, and with so much shared sadness, so she would know he was serious. He walked towards her with his arms open to embrace her. He tucked her head into his muscled shoulder and held her there. There was nothing sexual in it. Just the actions of someone who knew what it was to lose of someone you loved with all your heart. Zev knew better than anyone else in their group. He had told her of his Rinna.

"Oh Zev, I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can be at the funeral tomorrow." Kai snuffled into his shoulder. "Look at me, I killed hordes of darkspawn and faced the Archdemon, and I can't even face a funeral." The despair and grief she felt was surfacing closer than ever.

Zevran simply grasped her chin and made her look at him. "You _will_ be able to, and more importantly you _must_. You must have closure and say good bye. Otherwise you will not be able to move on. I have first hand experience with this no?" Zev smoothed her hair back from her forehead. " And more importantly, my dear friend, you will not do this alone." He simply looked at her with those pale amber eyes of his.

"Come with me." And tugged her to the bed and tucked her in it, wrapping the feather filled duvet around her like a child. He tugged off his boots and climbed in bed on top of the covers next to her and and simply leaned her head on his chest. "Now sleep my one and only true friend." He stoked her hair and she listened to his heart beating. And if he felt the tears wetting his shirt, he said nothing. He just stroked her hair and her back until her deep breathing told him she was finally asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Again, all but my main character's and her dog's names belong to BioWare. : )**

_For those of you following along, there will be a small confrontation between Kai and Lady Isolde, leading to a bigger one in the next chapter. To borrow the line from Kill Bill, "We have unfinished business." Or, rather my character and Isolde do. And a funeral which has been hard for me to write, despite that I know what comes next. _

_Again, thank you all for putting me on your favorites and for your reviews. I wish I could tell all you personally but there have been so many I can't keep up. And a big thank you, for hanging in there to see what comes next. : )_

When she awoke, it was to sunlight shining through the high windows of her parents' bedroom. Zev wasn't there, just an indentation where he had lain. Kai had a quick look. Shift, check, small clothes, double check. She did a mental brow wipe, still dressed as she had been last night. Zev had been nothing but a friend and a gentleman when she felt her eyelids dropping. But she was so filled with longing, she wasn't sure she trusted herself to behave and Zev not to be tempted despite his gentle friendliness towards her.

She got out of bed, washed her face, and quickly dressed in a simple tunic and leggings, as the second pile of clothes turned out to be. A soft pair of leather boots were under the table. She didn't suppose they would let her go to the funeral in her sleep shirt and robe. Isolde would not like the tunic and leggings either. Probably, Leli wouldn't be too thrilled come to think of it, but Leli wanted to play dress up, not "I'm better than you," as Isolde did. Kai decided that demons in the Fade could wear pretty dresses and dance the Remigold before she would dress up for the funeral. This was going to be hard enough without itching and sweating in layers of toile and lace. Kai waited expectantly for Alistair's voice to make a comment, but it was silent. She didn't know what that meant.

Alistair's rose was still sitting on the table, and she tucked it in her hair, securing it with a leather tie. Then, she called to Argus who obediently padded to her side. Kai took one last look at the remnants of last nights revels before the servants came in and cleaned up. She would try to take the love and warmth of last night with her to the dreaded event of today. She would not let Anora, the gloating bitch, see how crushed and empty she was.

Kai opened the door and walked into the hallway trying to ignore the mental images of Howe's men and their staring, dead eyes after she had run them through and Argus had ripped out their throats. On the night they had tried to get through her parents' bedroom door, she had no time to regret taking their lives. She didn't allow herself to look toward her brother's bedroom, either. She didn't want to see the image of her sister-in-law and her sweet little nephew lying in pools of their own blood.

Maker's breath, this was going to be difficult in so many ways. Kai went to the door on the right, her old room. She knocked and immediately turned back to study the hallway. Dairren, her lover then, had died bleeding on her bedroom floor when Howe's men had put an arrow through his heart. It was supposed to be her. His death had given her time to arm herself and kill those who did it. So many bad memories, so much death caused by her or because of her. Maker, how was she ever going to atone for all of that?

She pushed those thoughts away to focus on the memorial she had yet to sit down with the dwarven stone mason about. If she and Alistair had not discussed it, putting up a memorial to Duncan at Highever, she might never have come back. Of course that was before she had known Fergus was alive. But Duncan had been born here, and Alistair had loved him like a son. She could not see Alistair's remains put at Weisshapt so far away from Duncan's memorial. And if she was being honest with herself, Highever was where her parents were laid to rest, after what was left of them had been found dumped unceremoniously on the trash midden behind Highever Castle. Since Alistair was, to her, more than a husband regardless of the lack of a Chantry wedding, she would have him here with her family. She didn't want him far from them either.

"Good morning, little sister." Fergus greeted her with a tug on one of her braids as he had when they were children. He quickly closed the door, perhaps sensing her trepidation in seeing her old room and the memories there, just as Fergus wasn't in his old room for the same reasons. Who knew memories could cut deeper than any blade? Fergus put his arm around her waist. "Let's go get some breakfast." He kissed her hair and smiled at her like old times.

As they walked through the castle, Kai was surprised that the damage from Howe seemed to be minimal, or had been cleaned up and repaired quickly. She shouldn't have been surprised, she supposed. After all, Howe wanted to take over Highever, not destroy it. "It wasn't as extensive as it probably looked to you that night, little sister." Fergus echoed her thoughts yet again. Andraste's knickers, the only other person who could complete her thoughts or even read her face so well was Alistair. And today she was cremating his body so his ashes could be put in a memorial that had yet to be made. Her heart squeezed in her chest painfully.

They made their way to the dining hall. Arl Eamon and Arlessa Isolde were there, as was Eamon's brother Teagan. Teagan was speaking with Leliana & Oghren. Well Leli mostly, as Oghren was slurping up porridge with occasional responses given through a mouthful of oats. He would stop his slurping to bite a greasy sausage in half with bits falling into his beard. Had he thinned his porridge with beer? Kai watched as Oghren poured ale from the mug in front of him into the bowl. Yep, beer and porridge, well it was all grains if you thought about it.

Sten was sitting next to Oghren with a look of disgust on his face, which on Sten's almost immobile features meant a slight crimping at the corners of his eyes and mouth. Shale, though she did not eat, was standing behind Sten watching Oghren with the same look. And Zev was nowhere to be seen. He may have come in early and left before Kai got here. She imagined that sleeping sitting up against a hard wooden bed frame was not conducive to a good night's rest.

Kai and Fergus helped themselves to bowls of porridge ladled from the big pot sitting on the buffet table. Kai drizzled hers with honey and her favorite spices and a little cream. She didn't think she could handle beer in it. There were also more cookies she saw, as well as little sweet buns swirled with spice and drizzled with honey and crushed nuts. That along with assorted fruits, weak ales, water, and juices, were on one side of the buffet table. On the other, there was ham and bacon, small sausages, and scrambled eggs. Kai eyed the ham to make sure it wasn't nug shaped.

Fergus must have told the new cook to make those sticky buns, they were one of her favorites. The cook, Kai almost toppled her bowl, the new cook. Nan, dear, cranky old Nan. The woman who had helped raise her and then became the cook. Nan whose lifeless body she had stepped over to get to her father. Kai swallowed hard against a sudden roll of nausea. Argus whined and pressed close. He tilted his head at her giving her worried eyes. "I was just thinking of Nan," she explained. Argus whined again and his eyes became sad. "I know you miss her too. She isn't here for you to confound anymore just to amuse yourself." Kai smiled and patted his big flat head.

That statement led to the memory of Ser Gilmore, a treasured friend who had manned the gates to let Kai and Mother find Father. Ser Gilmore, whose tortured and rotting corpse she had seen when she was escaping from Fort Drakon after Anora's little get away. Kai felt the nausea getting worse. Andraste's flaming sword, would it always be like this? One terrible memory leading to another? Despair almost swallowed her whole. She focused on patting Argus until the feeling stopped so she wouldn't run screaming from the room.

Argus barked and looked meaningfully at her bowl of porridge. "Ah, ham on your porridge, yes?" Kai asked him, focusing on the here and now. Argus barked. "Oh, and bacon too? You better watch that you don't get fat and lazy eating so well." Argus whined. "OK, if you say so, bacon and ham it is." Kai smiled at him and ladled porridge for Argus laying ham and bacon top.

She made her way to the table and sat across from Teagan and Leliana. She set Argus's bowl down so he could eat. Teagan stood up as she sat. "My lady, it is good to see you up and about." Teagan smiled at her and took her hand and grazed her knuckles lightly with his lips. "We were worried about you." Kai caught the angry look that flashed across Lady Isolde's face. Eamon stood as well and gave her hand the same treatment. Isolde's look had been what, jealousy? Kai was not surprised. Any man who paid less attention to Isolde was upsetting to Isolde. The thought struck her that Isolde and Anora were actually very much alike.

"Please gentlemen, I became just Kai, when I was made a Gray Warden. While it is flattering, the usual political niceties are not necessary. You didn't do them when I was at Redcliffe or Denerim, please don't do them now just because I'm home." Kai felt a blush creeping up her neck.

Teagan laughed. "I am afraid that our early training is hard to do away with, my...Kai," Teagan managed to stop himself. "When you were at Redcliffe you were dressed in leather armor splattered with who knows what. It was a little easier to forget you were Lady Cousland."

"Well, I hardly look like a lady now, either. So just keep forgetting that I am, Okay?"

Kai heard Isolde mutter under her breath, "That is certainly true." Kai allowed herself a smirk at Isolde's expense.

"Where is Anora?" Kai couldn't bring herself to call her 'queen.'

"Oh, she is taking breakfast in her quarters, away from the 'unwashed masses'," Teagan said with a smile at Kai. He leaned forward and whispered. "Why, do you miss her company, dear lady?"

"Teagan!" Isolde exclaimed. "Really, she is going to be our queen."

Kai leaned toward Teagan and smiled. "Hardly, and I doubt very much she misses my company, either."

"That would definitely be true," Fergus broke in with a grin at Teagan.

Teagan's smile left his face, and he became serious. "Kai, I am sorry for your loss; I know that Alistair was...important, to you," Teagan went on delicately.

Kai looked down at her bowl, hands clenched in her lap where they couldn't see. She made her face a neutral mask before she dared look up again. "He wasn't just important, I loved him, with all my heart. But, thank you Teagan. I know he was important to you as well. You weren't his uncle by blood, but he always thought of you and Eamon as such." Kai looked at Eamon whose eyes had gone bright.

"Eamon," Kai began slowly. "Alistair always regretted his behavior towards you when you came to visit him at the Chantry. He always wanted to apologize to you. He...he knew..." Kai had trouble keeping her composure. "He knew you cared for him, and so did I. I found his mother's amulet while you were comatose. You had it repaired. I...I gave it to him. It meant so much to him. He meant to ask you about it. To talk to you about your repairing it and saving it for him. It meant more than he could say. I hope you don't mind that I gave it to him." Kai couldn't continue – grief, despair, and anger were threatening to break down the numbing barrier that encased them all.

"I...I don't mind that you did. I am glad you did," Eamon's voice began to crack, and he simply gasped out, "Thank you, I am glad you told me. If you will all please excuse me?" And with that Eamon left the dining hall.

Kai watched him go, wishing the memory had brought him comfort instead of pain, but maybe, as with all such things, in time it would be a good memory and not a sad one. She felt she made the right decision to tell him. Kai took a horn spoon and scooped up porridge covering for the silence she had caused with Eamon's leaving. It was after a couple of spoonfuls that Kai realized Isolde was staring at her with an angry glare. Kai simply returned her look and cocked an eyebrow; it was Isolde who looked away. Teagan reached across the table and gave her wrist a gentle tug, smiled and winked at her. It was then that Isolde got up in a huff and left.

"You seem to be good at clearing a room, Warden," Oghren grinned down the table at her. "I thought I was the only one with that talent." Teagan and Fergus both laughed, Sten and Shale just glared at the dwarf, and Leliana put her face in her hands.

Kai smiled, but found she had no appetite. The porridge seemed to be sitting in her stomach in a ball. "If you will all excuse me? I think I may have cleared myself out of the room as well. What time is the fune...ceremony?" Kai couldn't even bring herself to say the word "funeral" out loud.

"In about two hours, dear lady. Anora wanted to have it early and then start towards Denerim. Since you are awake and one of those being honored, you will need to go too," Teagan supplied, looking across at her. "As I understand it, there are huge crowds amassing in Denerim to see the one who saved us all."

"Then they should be here, the one who saved them lies on a stone slab awaiting pyre and torch." She hadn't meant it to sound so harsh, but there it was. She had just tossed it out there like the dead and mouldering rabbit Argus had put in Morrigan's pack.

Whatever was the matter with her? All of her noble training seemed to have been left behind somewhere, probably in the Deep Roads. That place had a way of burning away the non-essentials with its horrors. She stood up, a flush creeping across her cheeks as she balled her fists. "I am so terribly sorry, I don't know what has come over me. I think I need some air, and..." She couldn't finish, she simply turned and almost ran from the dining hall.


	6. Chapter 6

**All except my character's and her dog's names belong to BioWare. Special thanks to them and Mr. Gaider for creating such a wonderful world that inspired me to start writing again.**

_Thanks to all the readers of this story. Particular thanks to those who have put my story on their favorites and for the reviews. I feel the love, and I hope you keep enjoying what I write as much as I enjoy writing it. : ) Oh, and there will be bitch slapping. : )_

Kai's stomach was rolling with waves of nausea so bad that a cold sweat had broken out on her skin and she felt chilled to the bone. She dashed around the corner from the dining hall and up the walk to atrium. She just made it to atrium where she put her head into the niche behind the outdoor couch to be horribly sick into a potted plant. Even after the two spoonfuls of porridge she had managed to eat before she so gracefully cleared the room had come up, she kept retching until there was nothing but bitter bile burning her throat.

Finally, thank the Maker, the heaving stopped. She wiped her mouth and her watering eyes. Poor plant, Kai thought. She turned to find only Argus had followed her out of the hall, for which she was grateful. She really didn't want their sympathies or kindness at the moment. She probably didn't deserve it with her boorish behavior anyway. Oh, if Mother could see her now.

Kai turned to Argus, who whined and looked at her with concerned eyes. "Thanks for coming to find me, boy." She scratched him behind the ears. Since she had two hours before the...funeral, she made herself say that word, if only in her head; and if solitude was what she wanted, she would grab a book and go out to the small garden near the beehives next to the orchards. It was a favorite childhood spot full of good memories and unlikely to trigger a sad one.

Kai continued past the atrium and around the corner to the sleeping quarters. She made her way past the first doorway leading to the hall with the guest rooms. As she passed, she heard Lady Isolde speaking in an angry voice, her Orlesian accent heavier due to her ire, "I can't believe it. She talks to my husband about that bane of our existence, Maric's bastard. I thought I had gotten rid of him, and he keeps turning up like a bad coin. He doesn't even have the decency to stay out of our lives now that he is dead!"

Kai's vision seemed to narrow to a pin point and then expanded outward again with great speed. Everything became clear and highly defined. She could count the threads in the rug at her feet, see every chip in every stone. Kai felt as if she were out of her body and just watching. She watched as she went into the room to find the lady in question talking to an elven servant. She watched as she stared at Isolde marking every wrinkle on the woman's face, her pouty full lips, her big doe eyes. She saw all of this while speaking to the servant in a voice that didn't quite sound like her own. "If you will please excuse us, I need to speak to the Lady Isolde, we have...unfinished business," Kai said, never taking her eyes off of the face in front of her.

As soon as Kai heard the door close she watched her hand, as it seemed to sail of its own accord, slap Isolde soundly across the face. It was so loud the report echoed off the stone walls of the chamber, and Isolde rocked back on her heels clutching a hand to her cheek, her eyes wide. "You cowan bitch!" Kai heard her own voice hiss. "If you ever speak about Alistair like that again, I will personally rip out your shrewish tongue and feed it to Argus." Kai's voice didn't rise above a quiet conversational tone. It was cold, calm, incredibly smooth, and oh so dangerous. The tone caused Isolde to step back from her, not that she could go far or she would find herself aflame by stepping into the fireplace. Kai took a subtle joy in visualizing Isolde on fire and thinking about how she wouldn't piss on her to put her out. What has gotten into me? the detached part of her mind wondered.

"Do you know how close I came to letting Jowan stick you like a pig and bleed you to save your son? Oh, it was so tempting. So very, very tempting." Kai felt her eyes narrowing and her lips peeling back in a feral mask. Argus, catching his mistress's anger at the woman before her, peeled his own lips back and growled as well. Kai stayed him with a flick of her hand.

"Do you know why I didn't? Because Alistair would not have wanted it, Alistair. Even after you made his life a living hell. Taking from him the only home he had ever known. Making him sleep in the stables at Redcliffe and with the dogs at the Arlship in Denerim, like he was some piece of garbage! And when that wasn't enough, you made Eamon basically send him into slavery with the Maker forsaken Chantry where he was miserable." Kai watched as Isolde's big brown eyes got wider. "Even after all that, he had forgiven you."

Isolde stuttered, "I thought he was Eamon's; it was embarrassing. I was only looking out for my son and his future! Alistair was a stone around Eamon's neck, I was only trying...." Kai's other hand snaked out and slapped Isolde's other cheek with a loud crack. Well, at least she'll match, that detached part of her mind noted.

"You mean like you did when you hired a blood mage to train Connor? How many people have you hurt, Isolde, with your own selfish interests? Maker, you are dumber than a crate full of hair. Eamon is such a good man, it is a wonder what he sees in you." Kai felt a small cynical smile play on her lips. "Oh, never you mind, I know what charms he sees. It must be the buxom chest, the 'suck me' lips and those big vapid eyes," Kai hissed at Isolde, her tone making it sound as lurid as one might find visiting The Pearl, Denerim's famous brothel. "It certainly isn't your brains he is enamored of. I watched you with Teagan who, by Andraste's grace, is not as easily swayed by your obvious charms." Kai strung out the word "charms," making it sound as tawdry as possible. "Charms which can be found in any brothel in Thedas, by the by."

Kai kept her voice calm and conversational, but she wielded it like a blade. "Teagan didn't trust you either, or how did you figure we got into the castle to save him?" Kai laughed, a low and sultry chuckle of her own. The detached part of herself amazed at how nasty she could be. "You act all pious, but you are nothing in comparison to Alistair. He is...was a better person than you could ever hope to be." Kai watched dispassionately as tears fell from Isolde's eyes.

"As for me, the darkspawn will be holding ballroom dances with the dwarves in the Deep Roads before you will have my forgiveness. Alistair was better than both of us it seems." And with that Kai spun on her heel to leave.

Kai had almost reached the door when another thought occurred to her and she spun back to look at Isolde. "You know, Isolde, I may not forgive you, but I do need to thank you. If you hadn't done what you did, I might not ever have met and had the privilege of loving that wonderful man." She heard Isolde sob before she opened the door and walked right into Ban Teagan.


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't know if I have to put this message up every time,but I don't want to anger BioWare. All but the names of my character and her dog belong to them. : )**

_Well, the last chapter was shorter, and didn't have the funeral yet. I promise I am getting to it. But I just had to leave it as a sort of cliff hanger. I mean what do you do when you obviously have been slapping around someone's sister-in-law and they have obviously been eavesdropping? And I admit it was cathartic to give Isolde the bitch slap she so rightly deserves. [[I must admit that the more times I've played through the game, the more I've come to dislike Isolde. That's okay, I have a character who' s going to take Jowan up on his offer. Mwahahahaha!]] As you can tell, I really did get tempted to let Jowan bleed her to save Connor in the game, but I didn't. So, it just seemed appropriate to stop there and start a new chapter. Let me know what you think._

_Again, thanks to all of you who read, and put it on favorites. And especially those who review. Your encouragement is a real blessing. _

_Blessings!_

Kai felt all of her rage at Isolde drain out of her like water in a broken pot the minute she ran into Teagan, literally. She was snapped back into her body instead of being a casual observer, and the adrenaline stopped, causing her legs to go shaky, and Teagan had to catch her.

Kai realized that he had one hand on her neck and one on her waist almost as if he was going to kiss her, which was ridiculous as the man was more likely to slap her for her ill treatment of his sister-in-law than to put his lips on hers. Kai felt a her face turning scarlet, and she felt feverish and light headed and dreadfully embarrassed. The nausea seemed to be coming back as well. "I don't know how much you heard," she began lamely, and it only caused her to flush more.

Teagan merely changed the position of his hands switching them to her shoulders, making sure she could stand on her own before removing them. His face was impassive. Kai felt horrible; she had great respect for Teagan and had no wish for him to think ill of her, but she was not sorry. Isolde deserved every smack and every harsh word. Teagan took a look around as if to check for any others who might be lurking then grabbed her hand, tugging her to follow him. Kai was too light-headed to put up much protest, and she and Argus found themselves being taken along to the very garden where Kai had intended to read.

Teagan sat her on a stone bench there, made sure she wouldn't fall over, and then seated himself next to her. Kai could feel the cool stone of the bench through the leggings she wore and the cool stone of the garden wall where she rested her twirling head. She closed her eyes and listened to the drone of the bees. They had always soothed her as a child when she was upset, and they did so now. When she dared look at Teagan, who had remained silent thus far, she found him grinning at her...with admiration? By Andraste's knickers, the man was grinning as if he were proud! "You have no idea, how many times I have wanted to slap that woman silly myself."

Kai found she couldn't help herself and burst out laughing hysterically until tears poured out of her eyes. Teagan laughed with her until they were both snuffling and twittering. They had a tendency to cause each other to start again if they caught each others' expression. Finally, it seemed to wind down. Kai hadn't realized how much she needed that release. Teagan pulled out a pouch from his belt and opened it up. He took out what looked like a napkin from the dining hall and opened it, revealing sticky buns.

"Your brother said these are your favorites. You looked so pale and you ate so little, I thought you might need more. You have been asleep for six days. We spoon fed you broth and water, but you haven't eaten much." Teagan held out the napkin towards her. She looked into his kind face and felt herself flushing more. She took a bun and broke off a piece to pop in her mouth. It was then she realized he had said we tried to spoon broth into you.

"Teagan, I didn't realize you had taken care of me while I was unconscious. I...ah...thank you," she finished lamely.

"It was nothing. Your mage friend, Wynne, had to practically be dragged away from your side and forced to rest, heal, and eat herself." This statement caused no small amount of guilt to come surging past the anger and indifference she had felt towards Wynne so far. "And when your brother Fergus was found alive, he became part of our 'Kai rotation,' as we called it. We bathed you, put poultices on some of the wounds, Wynne healed the broken bones and your cracked skull."

Teagan popped a sticky bun into his mouth. "Oh these are good!" he said once he swallowed.

"Bathed me? You didn't..." Kai felt her face turning bright scarlet again. To which Teagan merely laughed.

"No dear lady, not I, your virtue is safe from me." Kai felt herself giving a great sigh of relief. Teagan smiled and put another sticky bun in her hand. "So, did the honey on these delightful confections come from these hives?" Teagan made a sweeping gesture toward the skeps placed in various locations in the garden.

"I doubt you wanted to talk about beekeeping or sticky buns, my lord," she teased him with his title a smile curving her lips. But Teagan didn't smile back. Instead he looked sad.

"What you said to Isolde." Kai groaned inwardly and waited for a mild scolding. Surely she deserved it a little, even if she wasn't penitent. "It was all true. She treated Alistair shamefully, and Eamon allowed it to keep the peace in his house and because he was infatuated with his new young bride." Teagan looked away. "But I did nothing to help him either. I could have taken him in, given him a home. I didn't, I was a coward." Teagan looked at her then down at his hands.

Kai grasped one of Teagan's hands. "You weren't a coward Teagan. You were a young man, with no wife and a bannorn to learn how to manage." She gave his hand a squeeze and felt reassured when the pressure was returned. "Besides, it was not yours to do. King Maric put your brother in charge of his son, not you. And while I respect your brother in so many ways, this was a major failing on his part. But, so too have I failed of't'ner myself, as my old nanny used to say." Kai bit her lip, thinking on how to continue, to explain. "It is not so much the failure, Teagan. It was her cruelty that made me so angry. I have seen enough of deliberate cruelty, and I am sick and full to bursting with it."

Teagan looked at her with a grateful smile, though she had no idea why he should feel any gratitude. It wasn't Teagan's fault to her mind. Kai allowed herself to look around the garden; it was refreshingly the same as it had been when she last saw it. Here, she could pretend that the woman sitting on the bench with Teagan was the same as the one who had last been in it. Not this woman who had slapped another. This woman whose hands could, and had, slit people's throats and driven arrows into eye sockets. A woman who had become a sword, all the slag melted off and pounded into a blade so sharp she had even cut herself.

Kai was jarred from her thoughts by Argus placing his head on her lap and whining and looking at her and Teagan. He barked, which startled both of them, and ran to the sundial. "Ah, so your friend is right. By the sundial my lady, it is time we went to the funeral. I don't think Anora will forgive any tardiness." Teagan offered her his arm, and they both took their leave of the garden. Kai gave it one last longing look over her shoulder before they turned the corner and it passed from view.

Anora, either anticipating or wanting a big crowd, had planned for the funeral to be held in one of the bigger harvested fields outside of Highever. There would be room for everyone, and since there was moist soil, they were not likely to set anything afire as they cremated the body. The body, oh Maker! Kai forced herself to swallow continually and not vomit. If she kept throwing up she would be defeating the purpose of everyone's forcing food on her.

Kai, Teagan, and everyone who had visited her last night, except for Zev, were in front of the large crowd gathered in the field. Zev's absence caused a momentary panic which abated when the Antivan simply materialized as if from thin air at her side. Anora, of course, stood near the bier. Her golden hair swept back into her usual pretty braided buns. She was dressed immaculately and looked beautiful.

Yes, pretty little viper indeed, mused Kai. Anora kept shooting her looks, which Kai had expected. Her brother Fergus leaned to whisper in her ear, "Ah, Anora does not look happy to see you awake and standing, little sister." She could hear the smile in his voice as he stood behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"No doubt she hoped I might just pass into the Fade in my sleep. I would say I am sorry, but I am not in a penitent mood, brother dear," Kai jested back. In truth her hands were clammy, her stomach had butterflies, and she just wished it was all over. Anora concerned her not a jot, but she was very afraid she was going to collapse the minute she saw Alistair's body, thus letting Anora know just how weak she really was.

"Or maybe run screaming into the crowd in your small clothes?" The voice, his voice that had for some reason been missing all day, had returned. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. And right now she didn't care if it was a desire demon or her own deranged head. Kai put a hand to her mouth to stifle a laugh.

She took a look around behind her. Besides Fergus, Eamon and Isolde were there. Isolde refused to look her in the eye, and she noticed the woman had that Orlesian face powder she favored so much caked on thicker than usual. Still, pink showed through on each cheek. As Eamon looked at Kai with nothing but kindness and a sad smile, she figured that Isolde had kept their little "chat" a secret. Shale, Sten, Leli, Oghren, Argus and of course dear Zev were all fanned out in a semi-circle around her. Zev just squeezed her hand and held it. The rest of the huge crowd seemed to consist of mostly the same nobles who had been at the Landsmeet and the locals of Highever and the nearby Bannorn.

It was at the edge of the crowd some distance away that she caught sight of Wynne. Wynne looked so old and frail, not at all like the formidable mage she had fought the darkspawn with. Kai suddenly felt all the anger melt away and guilt replace it, along with more sorrow. She started to step out of the crowd to go to her, but Anora signaled for the bearers to bring the body to the bier.

Kai watched as solemn knights, assigned as an honor guard, walked slowly to a dirge played by a nearby orchestra. Ah, Anora was pulling out all the stops, she wouldn't want anything to blow her sweet little persona. Kai watched until they got close enough that she could start to see Alistair's armored feet, and then she had to look away. She found herself with a gross interest in the soil beneath her feet and the way the sun was shining on the pebbles there. Zev squeezed her hand, and she heard him whisper so only she could hear, "You need to look, Kai."

She took a deep breath and schooled her face. She was expecting that Anora had put Alistair in the same rather ostentatious golden armor that his brother had worn. She couldn't look at that. Her heart was pounding painfully in her chest. He should be in his Dead Legion armor, not looking like some pompous noble! He should be alive, I should be dead, her mind was screaming at her. The sun was shining and the birds were singing and he was dead! She should be dead; the world shouldn't be going on as if he were still here. Should be, should be, should be kept echoing over and over again like a hammer in her skull. Her breath was coming in great rasps like the last gasps of the dying. Her heart continued to gallop madly in her chest and seemed to be getting louder with each beat. A band had tightened over her skull, and all the crowd noises and the dirge seemed to go into a tunnel. She thought surely she was just going to collapse right here, never to rise again, and that was just fine. Let Anora take what she wanted from that.

"KAI!" Alistair's voice shouted in her ear, snapping her head back and bringing her back to herself. She felt Fergus's hands tighten on her shoulders, and Zev's hand was squeezing her right hand. Someone was holding her left. It was Teagan. When did that happen? What had transpired felt like an eternity, but from the position of the servants no more than a few seconds had passed.

And then they placed him on the wood set there. Kai could have wept with relief just to see that he was indeed in his Dead Legion Armor and not some golden shell he had never worn. His body wasn't a substitute for Cailan, whom the people of Ferelden had not been able to send off. Kai realized that was exactly what Anora had planned. She would give them Alistair as Cailan, and they would forget the royal bastard as if he had never existed.

A look passed across Anora's face so quickly it would be missed by those not watching her closely. But Kai caught it. Anora was furious, her plans had once again been thwarted. Kai was shaking with relief, but she locked her knees down. And when Anora's gaze passed over her, she allowed her lips the barest of smiles.


	8. Chapter 8

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Ok so the idea for Anora dressing Alistair up like his brother to substitute him for Cailan (at least symbolicly) and cement the minds of the people that Anora should have been queen all along and that what her father did never happened, came out of left field as I was typing. I hope you like that plot addition, please let me know whether you love it or hate it. I am making Anora far more nasty than the game ever did, but it seems right and it is fun to do. You have to have someone to hate right? So, on with the show!_

Anora's eyes shot daggers at Kai. But they were quickly shuttered again. My, my but the little viper does learn fast Kai thought. Kai stood sweating in her light tunic and leggings, this many bodies pressed in together made things very hot indeed. Only Zev did not seem to be overly warm, in fact for the first time since Kai had met him he actually seemed comfortable. Then again, Antiva is a warmer clime then Ferelden, poor Zev. His blood never had thickened up like hers to withstand the balmy Ferelden weather.

Kai had to stifle a giggle, which she was very afraid would turn into laughter. What was wrong with her? Her emotions seemed to be running amok. First she is going to collapse and now she was trying not to laugh hysterically. Andraste's holy knickers, she must be going mad. But could you go mad if you knew enough to ask if you were going mad? Kai had to stifle another giggle that threatened to find its way past her lips again.

"Ah, Anora is giving that speech full of manure, just like we thought little sister." Came Fergus' voice as he whispered in her ear. Fergus' comments weren't helping her state of mind. She felt like someone who has dodged certain death and finds themselves disbelieving and giddy to have done so.

A flash of insight hit Kai like an arrow hitting a target. Zev had been gone all morning. He wouldn't have had anything to do with thwarting Anora's little plot to dress Alistair as Cailan would he? Kai made a mental note to ask him later. Now, was neither the time or place, as Anora or one of her supporters might over hear. Kai preferred to keep Zev a secret weapon. Assassins worked best if people didn't see them coming, or at least she assumed that was the case, they hadn't had a need for a lot of secrecy in the Deep Roads. And in Antiva, The Crows were the best kept secret everybody knew about.

Finally, thank the Maker, Anora's lengthy speech was over and it was time for those who wanted to see the body and pay their respects to do so. 'Everyone,' to Anora, meant only those closest to Alistair, since she wanted to speed things up and get back to Ferelden to get her crown. It would have been impolitic to set the body ablaze without giving those who were considered his family time though. Anora was greedy to rule, but not stupid.

Anora had cut off any possible anger by the people, simply telling them that the body wouldn't last much longer, which was a lie. And that it was because he had to be laid to rest at Highever, which was Kai's fault, they couldn't allow the usual parade for so distinguished a personage.

Before Anora could do the honors, and despite being closest to the bier, Kai stepped in front of the crowd effectively cutting Anora off. Anora would not be the first to touch him, to say good bye. So Kai had forced herself forward without even realizing she had done so. Anora shot more daggers at her, and again Kai smiled so only the little viper could see it. Two could play this game.

She walked up and saw he looked like he did when he was sleeping. How many times had she looked at that face while he slept? "You know that is kind of creepy right? To watch while someone sleeps?" His voice sounded in her ear with mirth.

"Oh, yeah, like I never caught you doing that to me, especially the first time we-"

Kai got interrupted in her own head. "Licked a lamppost in Winter?" Alistair's voice sounded with with familiar humor at the old joke they shared.

"Oh how I wish I knew what to make of this internal exchange. I don't know if I miss it more when it isn't there or if it kills me more on the inside when I do." The voice, his voice, was silent on this.

They had left his helmet off, and to the side as was the sword, Starfang, that she had had made for him from a meteorite she had found. She found herself leaning forward and kissing his forehead, and his lips. They were cool but not cold like she expected. It was like a building and no one was there. Kai could hear Anora impatiently tapping her foot into the dirt wanting her to hurry up. Kai reached up, and untied the rose he had given her. She placed it between his armor covered hands. "Zev was right, I needed to do this." She whispered. And then she was stepping back into the crowd. She couldn't bear to look at their faces as they had watched her exchange.

It did surprise her to see Zev go next, but she gave it a passing curiosity as her thoughts were turned inward, on keeping control, presenting a neutral mask. She was determined to give Anora no quarter and no satisfaction. She had no idea what Zev said, he only came back and took her hand in his again.

Eamon, Teagan, all of their party took their turns. Wynne strode up from the back of the crowd, brushed her hand across his forehead like a mother would a feverish child and then strode back the way she had come. Even Isolde went forward on her own and bent down to say something, which surprised Kai.. Kai even caught a glimpse of a little white mutt with yellow eyes. To anyone else it would have been just a stray, curious at what the humans were doing, maybe hoping for food. Kai knew in her bones it was Morrigain. But she lost sight of the little dog and she was not in a position to chase Morrigan down had Morrigan been of a mind to let her.

Then it was Anora's turn, last but not least Kai thought. Boy she must be getting pissed, her plans had not gone the way she wanted them to, of that Kai was sure. Kai found she was having almost as much fun thwarting Anora at every turn as she had Howe and Loghain. "Nothing like making someone powerful soil their drawers to get you going, eh my love?" Alistair's voice had laughter in it, making her want to laugh herself.

Really Kai, you need to get a hold of yourself! Maker's Breath girl! You smack Lady Isolde around, you taunt the soon to be Queen of Ferelden, on her second go around. What you miss danger and putting your life on the line so much this is what you do? She felt another hand grab her free left hand and squeeze, effectively breaking off her own chastising internal monologue. Teagan looked at her with a reassuring smile briefly before turning back to what was going on.

A lit torch was being handed to Anora, to light the bier. Instead of setting the wood under Alistair's body ablaze, she walked across the crowd and handed it to Kai.

Ah, little viper! Anora no doubt meant it as a slight. Hand the torch to his lover, the woman who had bedded him without a wedding ring. In the Chantry's eyes a sinner. The woman who made him king and then let him die. The other Gray Warden, the other 'Hero of Ferelden.' Yes, Anora, very clever, and oh so transparent. You might just have stepped over a line you shouldn't have crossed and allowed your inner bitch out for all of Ferelden to see. Kai simply let that small smile play along her lips and gave Anora her sardonic raised eyebrow meant for Anora's eyes only. Where everyone else could see it, Kai gave a slight bow. And Kai could hear the gasps at Anora's little social slip start in the crowd, along with some hushed whispers. Anora's eyes got wide for a moment and then glistened with hatred. As she walked by Anora she couldn't resist. "Oops."

Kai stepped behind the bier, facing the crowd. "Today, we honor the last of the Theirin line. Maric's son, the man who saved us all from the Blight. He proved his bloodline over and over, with his humor, his bravery, his strength, and his unholy love of fine cheeses!" Kai's finally allowed her eyes to shed the tears she had been holding back, while she and the gathered crowd laughed at her joke. His love of cheese did seem to come from Maric, as they both had an addiction to the foodstuff, and the nobles who knew Maric responded with a great cheer.

Kai looked at Anora who could no longer keep her composure, and her hatred showed plainly and openly for all who may have missed it earlier. Kai smiled wider and raised the torch high and brought it down to touch the oiled wood of the bier. She made a clockwise motion until the whole bier was flaming. She tossed the torch on top and walked back to the group waiting for her.


	9. Chapter 9

**BioWare owns everything but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_As someone pointed out in a review this story says "complete" but it isn't. I am so sorry for any confusion. I changed it but it keeps showing as complete to me too though I did save the change. The story as you can see is really "in progress." _

_I hope you keep enjoying the story. I am just glad to have the first part of the funeral out of the way, that was really hard to write. Please feel free to review. And thank you so much for your support! : )_

Kai stood with her extended family and watched the flames lick at the bier, sending greasy black smoke into a beautiful blue sky. Fergus wrapped his arms around her waist this time. Zev took her hand once again and Teagan put her other hand in the crook of his elbow. They all seemed to press closer in comfort while the crowd behind them seemed to be dispersing. "Anora." Kai called out as Anora had turned to begin to leave. "A word if you would."

"What are you up to little sister?" Fergus whispered.

"Playing my hand at 'Wicked Grace,' dear brother." Kai whispered back. Anora reluctantly turned and came towards Kai. Her face was schooled and neutral. Kai made her own features mirror Anora's. "Anora, who will be gathering Alistair's ashes?"

"I have some of my people set for that task. They will remain here and gather them while I-we head to Denerim." Anora looked Kai with a slight eyebrow tilt.

"No." I will gather the ashes and gather his armor. " Kai merely continued to look at Anora carefully keeping her face a mask.

Anora's eyebrows shot up as her eyes narrowed in anger. "But I wish to travel to Denerim today!" Anora's voice was becoming a hiss.

"Careful Anora or people might start thinking you don't love Ferelden and love only power." Kai simply continued keeping her own voice conversational. "I will not leave something as important as Alistair's remains to any but me. You are free to travel to Denerim without me, simply make an excuse to the people who are waiting there to see the 'Hero of Ferelden.' I am sure they will understand, whatever excuse you come up with, no?" Kai cocked her own eyebrow and tilted her head toward Anora. "Ah, I see that even you think the people would not buy any story you might make. They will want to see me. Well then, it seems we won't be leaving until the ashes have cooled and we have them and his armor safely sorted away." Kai merely shrugged. "I will send word when it is done." Kai merely waved a hand to let Anora know she was done talking.

Anora's face became a mask of fury, and she drew close enough that Kai could smell her scent, soft flowers, and lavender. "I am queen, how dare you treat me this way!"

"You are not queen yet Anora. And I know how clever you think you are." Kai let a small smile play along her lips as she said a couple of names. "Arl Howe, Ser Cauthrien?" Kai let out a little chuckle as Anora's eyes got wide. "Oh yes Anora, and if I could figure that out, I wonder what other dirty little secrets you've been hiding I might be able to find? Or what other plots I can uncover. Like the one where you dress Alistair as Cailan, maybe?" Kai shrugged at her again. "You want power, that is true, but I know what you really want more than that Anora."

Kai watched as Anora huffed, waved her arm dismissively, and turned and took a few steps to leave. "You know nothing of what I really want."

"I know you want the love of the Ferelden people. Daddy wasn't around you and your mother much I understand. He was busy helping Maric in Denerim, the country needed him. Or so he said, but it seems he was running away from his pretty young wife and pretty young daughter. You didn't get enough of Daddy's love, so you need something to fill that hole." Kai watched as Anora spun back and had her face close to Kai's again, snarling like any rabid dog.

"That isn't true! You take that back!" Kai kept her face passive and stared Anora down. It was Anora, like Lady Isolde earlier, who looked away.

"You want their love, if you harm anyone I care about, I will personally make sure that you never get that love no matter what it takes. As the 'Hero of Ferelden,' I have that power. You would do well to remember that Anora. We will wait until I have gotten the ashes. It should be done by tonight and we can leave in the morning. That isn't so long to wait now is it?" Kai kept her face neutral, but the adrenaline was starting to wane and her legs were getting shaky again.

Luckily for Kai, Anora had apparently had enough. She simply nodded and walked away from Kai in great strides her fists clenched at her sides. She did urn when she was a few steps out. "You think you know everything, but there are some things you haven't even figured out, Warden." And with that Anora stalked off.

"Well that was exhilarating." Teagan laughed.

Eamon looked at Kai. "She reminds me of Loghain more and more."

"That last line was cryptic, I wonder what the little viper meant? You are playing a dangerous game indeed little sister, you need to be extra careful." Fergus had turned her around and hugged her.

"Don't worry brother, Mother and Father taught us well the game of politics, remember? And I have a few thing I learned while fighting the Blight that they didn't teach me. Plus I have the best and most talented friends to help me" She hugged him back hard.

"True, my dear Gray Warden." Came Zev's voice behind her. And Kai turned to see the assassin putting a small very sharp dagger back in a hidden sheath in his clothing. A dagger Kai had reason to know was meant for close in work and coated in a very nasty poison. Kai could only burst out laughing.

"You really know how to win friends and influence people Warden." Kai almost fell over when Oghren smacked her on the back.

"Thanks Oghren, I think." Kai put a hand on the dwarf's shoulder to steady herself.

"Well, if we are going to stay here watching the little pike twirler burn, we will need provisions. Hey Fergus, you wouldn't have anymore ale around would ya?" Oghren now clapped Fergus on the back almost toppling him forwards.

"Well my friend, lets go see what we can find." He winked at Oghren and turned briefly to Kai. "You will be all right here?"

"Rest assured she will be fine, my dear Gray Warden is in good hands." Zev nodded at Fergus. "But I for one, do not relish sitting on the cold ground, so if someone might bring some chairs for us to sit on?"

"I suppose what the painted elf means me as the 'someone' he is referring to." Shale sighed. "Of course it does. It was not enough I carried tents and supplies all over Thedas, now it wants me to cart chairs. I should squish its head like a lemon." But Shale turned back toward Highever with Fergus and Oghren.

"I am going to go get Schmooples and food, and my lute! Wait for me!" Leliana babbled as she jogged towards the group.

Isolde had already left when the majority of the crowd had, which left Kai standing with Sten, Teagan, Eamon, and Zev. No one seemed inclined towards conversation. "Please be careful my love, very, very careful." Came Alistair's voice her ear. Kai just looked at the clouds floating so peacefully in the blue sky.

Sten seemed to be looking towards the receding backs of their friends and started to walk to catch up. "Sten, where are you going?" Kai asked teasing the Qunari, she knew full well he was off to get more cookies. She smiled at his retreating back.


	10. Chapter 10

BioWare owns everything but my character's and her dog's names, and the Ceffyl's and their names. : )

_So it is back to Denerim we go folks. Just a little plotting before the Landsmeet hall scene._

_Thank you again for all your support and reviews! _

* * *

Kai groaned as the carriage they were riding in hit yet another pot hole that sent everything and everyone inside it shooting about a foot into the air before landing hard on the pillow covered benches. The jolt caused everyone's jaws to clack together and their spines compressed with the sudden stop. Kai wondered if she would be a foot shorter by the time they got to Denerim.

Kai almost wished she were back in the field watching Alistair's remains finish burning. They had had another party of sorts. A wake, a little more sober and at times sad, then the one they had in her room the night before. It was so hard to take the armor and sword still whole and warm from the flames and put them into a chest. And scooping up the ashes had been another extremely difficult task.

Kai fingered the small leather pouch around her neck which held some of those ashes. Until her hand went flying as her arms flew up to reflexively catch the wall, when they hit another pothole. "Nug humper!"

"You didn't complain this much the last time we were on the road Warden." Oghren grinned at her.

"Yes, well being comatose really helped." She couldn't help but wink and smile back. Leli laughed and then continued sniffing the bundle of herbs she had the foresight to bring. She had given each party member a bundle tied in ribbons. They made the air in the carriage a little sweeter when you rubbed them releasing the aromatic oils. Oghren with his usual couth manner had asked if he was supposed to wipe his arse with the twigs in lieu of leaves. Leli had merely smacked him and taken them back, before walking off with her nose in the air. Kai had no idea what Sten and Shale had said to the proffered gift. Especially since Shale had no sense of smell that she knew of.

They were traveling in what amounted to covered wooden boxes with the merest hints of slitted windows at the top which let in the barest hint of light and air, and could be closed quickly in case of attack or used as archer's holes to shoot from.

The lamps inside them had the same runes in them that the mages used at the Circle. These lanterns wouldn't spill oil and set people alight if the carriage should overturn and it least allowed enough light that one could read or play chess with pieces that had pegs in the bottoms to fit in holes in the board so they stayed in place. Or mostly stayed in place. Some of the potholes must have been the size of cows.

They were all taking turns riding in the carriage or on horseback around the carriage with the armored retinues that Anora and all the nobles had. Any highwaymen or bandits who would try and rob this group of travelers would do so at their peril.

Only Sten and Shale did not ever ride in the carriage or on horseback. No horse could hold either of them, and Sten found the carriage claustrophobic, and with good reason. With him in the carriage the space became considerably smaller.

Shale the golem didn't care about the elements. And after thirty years stuck in a village square being a statue, as long as she was moving Shale couldn't care less about the weather.

Oghren was the only one who rode in the carriage almost full time, as his horsemanship consisted of him staying on a horse for about four to six seconds, give or take, before he invariably slid off one side or the other. Even when they had gotten a child's saddle so he could reach the stirrups, which he had found demeaning, it hadn't worked.

The carriage's closed in space was not conducive to keeping friendships for long if one didn't get out to fresh air. Even without the Horde having destroyed large swaths of the countryside on its way to Denerim during the Blight, there were only the occasional inn along the way in this section of Ferelden. This area consisted of mostly farm holds, so inns and baths were hard to come by.

It reminded Kai of the, not so, good old days when they were on the road during the Blight. But back then they weren't stuck indoors with one another and could walk a ways apart if they were a little pungent. "You mean like Wynne accused me and the dog of being?" Alistair's voice sounded in her ear again feigning hurt. Kai smiled at the thought.

It also didn't help that they had rain following them, ever since Alistair's funeral, and the roads were nothing more than streams with mud that sucked at the horses hooves and made the wagon wheels slid precariously down slopes. That was if the wheels didn't get stuck all together, requiring everyone to get out and push. One good thing about the rain, it was almost like having a bath so body odor wasn't as bad as it could have been. With the exceptions to that being Oghren and Argus where the wet seemed to amplify, rather than dampen, their aromas.

Kai had always liked the rain, and had a tendency to walk in it as if it was a sunny day. It didn't bother her to be soaked through, but poor Zev was just miserable. Speaking of Zev, it seemed time to switch places with him and take a ride in the rain. Kai pushed open the door in the back of the carriage and looked out to find Fergus, Teagan, and Zev riding their Ceffyls with Argus trotting next to Fergus. They rode between their wagon and Eamon's which was following behind them.

Ceffyls like everything else in Ferelden were built for survival and independence. Orlesians considered them excessively ugly in comparison to their own Chevals. Ceffyls used their huge thick heads, with sharp flat teeth, for cutting off short and sparse grasses, twigs on trees, and bark, making them able to live off of plant material that would stop up the guts of their pretty Orlesian counterparts. They could and did live on very little water, able to get what they needed from dew and rainfall, or snow if needs be. And like Mabari, Ceffyls were smart enough to do independent reasoning and problem solving,which included scraping snow away in Winter to get to grass underneath. They were stocky muscular, and if thought you had insulted them, very, very mean. A Cheval while pretty, would stand in snow and starve before it would think to scrape the snow to look underneath.

During the Orelsian occupation Meghren had ordered the slaughter of the breed as Fereldens used them as battle horses. It was just another means of trying to keep the Fereldens in line. The breed had almost died out. But a luckily two herds had been found after the occupation, roaming around the countryside, and a re-breeding program was under way. It was a slow process, as they had so few numbers to work with. And they had to be careful of birth defects and physical defects that could show up down the line. But so far, they were making great progress.

Ceffyls never pulled wagons, it would be boring for them. And a bored Ceffyl was nasty and hard to control. In perhaps a turn of fortune, Chevals left behind after the occupaton, were being bred with some of the genetically weaker Ceffyls creating a sturdy hybrid capable of doing more menial labor. It smartened up the Cheval and dumbed down the Ceffyl. But it made a horse less likely to bolt in fear and take your carriage racing off. Luckily for Anora, Highever was one of the places breeding full blooded and hybrid Ceffyls again,so they had been able to provide more for the journey back.

Zev, as well as the others had a routine which did not require the wagons to slow. One simply guided their Ceffyl up to the wagon door and the horse would side canter allowing the one rider to jump off into the wagon and the new rider to take the reins. Zev looked up from under the hood of his oil skin raincoat to see Kai. Zev's Ceffyl was a dappled gray creature with a snow white mane and tail when dry, and who was now dark gray and cream as the rain slicked her coat. He guided ,Rhia, as his Ceffyl was named, into the side canter and slid back so Kai could jump on and grab the reins. She was surprised when he didn't jump in the wagon but merely closed the door and slid his arms around her waist.

Kai guided Rhia back into formation next to Teagan. Not that Rhia really needed guiding, being as smart as a Mabari, meant the Ceffyl pretty much guided herself.

"Nice day for a ride is it not, dear lady?" Teagan grinned at her rain slicking his honey brown hair down and darkening it to muddy brown. Fergus too grinned at her over the head of his Ceffyl. Like her and Teagan, Fergus didn't mind the rain.

"Ugh, you Fereldens are so strange, you act as if there is no water falling from the sky." Kai felt Zev speaking into her back.

"It rains too much here to let a little water become an issue, Zev. Why didn't you go into the wagon and dry off?" Kai tried not to smile at the elf's obvious misery.

"Maybe because I prefer to have my arms wrapped around a beautiful woman rather than sitting in a closed in space with a dwarf who smells like a cross between a tavern and a privy?"

Kai laughed and playfully slapped the hand that had crept up her front to skim the edges of her armor across her chest. He had made his reach obvious so she knew he was joking. It didn't mean her skin didn't tingle where he touched her. Damn she missed intimacy with another warm body, _Alistair's_ body. Maker besides missing his smile and jokes, she had to miss their lovemaking too? Life was very cruel indeed. "And a cruel thing you would have done to me had it been the other way around. Everyone knows it is much worse for men then women." Came his cheeky response.

" Hah, 'everyone' knows no such thing." She answered back.

She tilted her head to better hear Zev when she felt him talking into her back again."Or maybe it was because I wanted to talk to you. There are some things we should discuss before we reach Denerim. Especially if you are going to keep angering our soon to be queen, no?"

"Hmm, I just have a bad feeling about her being queen. And it has nothing to do with her not being of royal blood." Kai began.

"Just about her being a royal bitch?" Zev jested back his laugh ringing out amongst the raindrops. Kai, Teagan and Fergus let their own laughter join his.

Kai sobered almost immediately. "Yes, that would be it. I would almost rather saw my tongue in half then say it, but I wonder if she won't be worse than Loghain."

"No doubt dear lady, you echo what Eamon, Fergus, and myself have all been worrying over as well." Teagan smiled at her.

"She may not be, she may turn out to be a good queen." Kai retorted, but she didn't believe it. "Great, we need to rebuild Ferelden, rebuild the wardens, fight off rogue darkspawn bands that are going to keep popping up, and try and keep an eye on Anora? Yes, nothing to it!" Kai let out a bark of cynical laughter. "Do we know who she is going to take as her adviser? I am guessing not Eamon, since he wanted Alistair on the throne."

"Anora plans to advise Anora. Word is that she is confident in her ability to rule all by herself." Teagan looked at Kai.

"Sounds like a dictatorship to me. Is there really no one else we could get the people behind who would be better? Are you sure Cailan had no royal indiscretions running around with his color hair or blue eyes, or the Theirin nose?" Kai asked hopefully "Preferably one that looks just like Cailan, or Maric?" Kai made her voice do the tone of a child saying 'pretty please,' for a sweet.

Teagan laughed at her obvious attempt at light heartedness for a very serious situation. "None that we know of. Of course we haven't had a lot of time to look either with the Blight and all. We might be able to start looking in a lot more earnest now. Since the letters you found when you returned to Ostagar implied Cailan was aware that Anora was the problem not he, despite his anger at Eamon suggesting it was. We can only hope that maybe there will be one_ somewhere_. It isn't a lot to pin hope on." Teagan replied.

"Yes, but it seems that is the best have at the moment." Kai looked at Teagan and Fergus.

"I would still like to know what she meant by 'you still haven't figured out everything, Warden, meh meh meh'." Came Alistair's voice using frippery to draw attention to a serious question as he did when he was alive.

"I would like to know what she meant when she told me I haven't figured out everything yet. You don't suppose she meant that there is a child with Theirin blood out there do you?" Kai looked at her riding companions.

"Oh good, take credit for my question." Alistair's voice spoke in her ear feigning being insulted.

"Hush you." she retorted back with a mental smile. It was getting surprisingly easier to talk to what, herself? She still wasn't sure.

"Maybe, we can only hope." Teagan smiled back at her, but she could see the worry in his eyes at Anora's cryptic statement.

It was then that she felt Zev tug on her arm and point. They had come to a rise in the road, and Denerim was straight ahead.


	11. Chapter 11

**Bioware owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So here we are in Denerim, before the big ceremony making Anora queen._

_For those of you who love Wynn, she is back. _

_I will just say thanks for keeping up with the story, for putting it on your favorites, for all your feedback. I love the encouragement from reviews and the traffic I have on the story. Thank you! So on with the show._

_Blessings!_

Kai was trying hard not to fidget as she stood with her arms straight out from her body while a servant fitted her dress for the coronation ceremony this afternoon. They had made it to Denerim in the pouring rain and been unpacked and put in a wing of the castle as far away from Anora as she could manage. All the rain that had followed them from Highever had blown off into the Waking Sea, and the sun was shining hot, drying out puddles as if the skies had never been anything but blue and bright.

"Please stand up straight, my lady!" came the voice of the exasperated seamstress who was directing the servants pinning the nightmare they were fitting her into. In fact Kai wished this were a nightmare, and she could wake up. She was hot, sweating, uncomfortable and very bored. She kept trying to ignore what was going on by doing some mental exercises that Sten had taught her, the ones he had used when he was locked in the cage in Lothering. One of them was a sort of 'I Spy' game. There were a lot of things in the room that started with the letter 'C.'

"Nug Humper!" Kai yelped when one of the pins scraped the skin along her ribs. The seamstress looked scandalized. Her assistants just hid their mouths behind their hands and tried not to laugh. Leli who was sitting on a chair nearby with a pair of dainty shoes to go with the monstrosity they were currently adjusting to fit Kai, giggled at her.

"I am so sorry, my lady!" a plain looking young woman cried, her eyes wide. She was a new girl who had been brought in when one of the other assistants had gotten ill suddenly. Kai was surprised they didn't rotate servants more, as this dress thing was taking hours.

"Don't worry about it," Kai shifted from foot to foot. "I have had worse." Why was it she thought, that small shallow cuts often stung so badly?

"If her ladyship would just stand still, I am sure we could get this done in less time and with less bleeding," the seamstress said with a wry twist of her lips and a pointed look at Kai.

"Obnoxious old bat," Kai murmured under her breath, which caused the elven servant on her other side to giggle into her hand.

"All right, let's have a look at you." The 'obnoxious old bat' pulled Kai off the stool she had been standing on and pushed her in front of a full length mirror.

Maker, I look like a meringue! The bodice was tight pushing her, well her assets, almost up under her chin. Then it all seemed to explode in layers of silk and ribbons. She looked as if her legs had been stuck in a tiered and iced cake. Ugh, she huffed in mental disgust, this is ridiculous. Alistair's voice laughing in her ear, "'The Hero of Ferelden' dressed like this? The darkspawn would have been able to kill you instantly in that get up, if they didn't fall down laughing first."

"And now finally we can get to your hair." The seamstress was speaking again. The way she said "hair" you would think a dead animal was on Kai's head, not sleek black locks. "If she doesn't like my hair now, she would have really loved it when it had darkspawn blood in it," Kai grumbled under her breath.

No, I cannot do this, she thought. I am not going to the coronation dressed like a doll. Kai started reaching for the buttons running down her back. "Nope, sorry, I am not going to the coronation in this dress. I can't and won't do it!" Alistair's voice just laughed inside her ear as if he was rolling around unable to control himself. "Glad you find this so funny," she thought into her own head. "You're not helping!" Which only made his voice laugh harder.

What ensued next, she would later be told by Leli from an outside observer's point of view, was a comedy fit for any stage in Thedas. The seamstress grew red in the face and sputtered as she followed Kai around the room while Kai kept trying to reach the long line of buttons at the back of the dress while arguing with the seamstress. Their arguing and bickering back and forth while they circled the room had caused the servants to simply stand against the wall, covering their mouths and giggling. Leli too was giggling and of no help at all.

Finally, it was Zev who had come to her rescue by pulling a dagger and running the blade down the buttons of the dress thereby releasing Kai from her silken prison. When had he snuck in? Kai wondered.

As each button came off with a popping sound, the seamstress's face had gotten redder and redder until Kai thought the woman was going to have aneurysm and her head would simply pop like a cork. If it pops like a cork, Shale will be sorry she missed it, Kai giggled to herself. The seamstress had glared at Zev in the same way that one would look at something nasty one had gotten on one's shoe after stepping in it. Then, she had simply waved her hands to the two servants and left the room sputtering something about giving up. Kai stepped out of the piles of silk and toile as they puddled around her feet. She looked at Zev, commenting, "You have had a lot of practice at that, haven't you?."

"Si," came Zev's response, as he leaned on the bedpost with his ankles crossed and a catlike smile on his face. He began cleaning under his fingernails with the point of the dagger he had used to rescue her.

Kai laughed. She was still in her small clothes, and she couldn't very well go to the coronation in those. With a sudden insight, she knew what would be appropriate. She walked over to the chest which held the armor she had worn to Fort Drakon. She had forgotten about it and found it again before they left Highever. It hadn't been cleaned or repaired. It still had every sword cut, arrow hole, scratch and burn. And it was still stained with darkspawn blood, her blood, the archdemon's blood, Alistair's blood.... Kai felt the room tilt, and her vision got narrow. She thought she might fall over. Andraste's flaming sword, it had gotten even hotter in here. Sweat was beading up along her skin.

Zev had crossed the room to steady her, thank the Maker for his quick reflexes. Wouldn't it be dandy to have a broken nose and two black eyes for the coronation? Kai felt really lightheaded, and it took a moment to focus on the fact that Zev was speaking to her. Was he asking her if she was all right? Her hearing came back into focus. Kai thought even Leliana looked concerned. Kai shook her head, "No, I'm fine, really. Just a little warm in here. That stupid dress and standing for hours. What a waste." Kai smiled at them. "Help me buckle on my armor, please?" Kai threw on a simple cotton shirt, wincing as it caught at the scratch on her side as she started to put on the armor. Leli and Zev helped her get all strapped in.

"I like it, my dear Gray Warden. You wear the armor that will remind people why you are 'The Hero of Ferelden,' and you rub Anora's nose in it as well. I follow your thinking, my friend." He laughed, and Kai smiled at him.

"I thought it might make a point, besides it is better than that awful waste of cloth they wanted me in," Kai snorted.

"Aw, I thought you looked beautiful, and now you don't even get to wear the pretty shoes," Leli pouted.

"You wear them, Leli, and enjoy." Kai waved a hand at the offensive footwear.

"Zev, did you find Wynne? Did you give her my message?" Kai asked as she sat on the bed and buckled on her boots. Once they had reached Denerim, Kai had written Wynne a note. When she saw her at the funeral, Kai knew that she had not only forgiven Wynne, but that it was really she herself who needed to ask for Wynne's forgiveness. She had lost Alistair and Morrigan; she would not lose another of her group if she could help it, especially not to her own pride.

"I did, and she received it. She read it and agreed to meet with you." Kai felt Zev's warm hand on her shoulder. "I am glad you are making amends." Kai smiled up at him.

"Well, I am going to try; she will have to decide if I deserve her forgiveness. I hope I do." Kai looked down again so Zev wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.

Leliana just stood watching Kai. "I am sure she will, Wynne is a kind and generous person."

Ah, Leli always thinks the best of everyone, Kai thought, even after being betrayed by her mentor.

"Well, why don't we go find out?" Kai strapped on her daggers, took Leliana's and Zev's arms, and walked out of the bedroom.

"You are a little warm, my dear Gray Warden, are sure you are all right?" Zev asked as he brushed a hand over her forehead.

"I am fine Zev, just nerves I think." She smiled at him to reassure him, but truth be told she wasn't feeling well at all. She felt as if she had a fever, and the sweat was making that scratch burn like it was on fire. Her head was starting to throb too.

They made their way to a side room off the Landsmeet hall. Kai felt her heart start to beat faster, and her hands were clammy. When she saw Wynne standing there, her mouth went dry. She didn't know what Wynne was going to do. Slap her? Kai felt she deserved it. Her knees started to buckle, but she pushed herself forward. Wynne's face was impassive when she turned and saw Kai.

"My father always said you should look someone in the eye if you were going to apologize. He said it was important for the other person to know you meant it. He was right." Kai felt her eyes begin to tear up. "Oh Wynne, I am so, so sorry!" And with that, Kai found herself sitting on a bench next to Wynne hugging her around the waist the way a small child does its mother.

"No, no, child, you have nothing to be sorry for." Wynne's cool hands stroked her hair and hugged her close. Wynne gently removed Kai's arms from around her waist so she could look Kai in the eye. "I am so sorry. Alistair knew you meant to take the blow yourself. He asked me to restrain you, then as King he ordered me to do it. He said he couldn't bear to lose you." Kai barked out a laugh at this, but Wynne continued, "He said you were the stronger one and you would be all right. He finally begged me, Kai." Wynne openly wept at this point, and her words seemed to be tumbling out like water over stones.

Kai just held Wynne while they both cried. Then, she had a thought and grasped Wynne's face in her hands, looking her in the eye. "Wynne, I am talking to your spirit friend in you. You keep her alive and healthy as long as you can you hear me? I need her." Kai looked into Wynne's eyes and tried to look through them as if she could see the spirit in there.

Wynn just smiled, hugged her tightly, and kissed her forehead with cool lips. "You are warm my dear, are you running a fever?" Wynne hands started to glow with healing magic, but Kai stopped her.

"I don't think I have a fever; it is just nerves." Kai smiled at her trying to wipe away the remnants of tears and her snotty nose. Wynne produced two handkerchiefs out of her sleeves, one for each of them. Kai laughed. "Always prepared, Wynne? And I thought you weren't the typical old woman." She was very happy when Wynne laughed and it sounded genuine.

"Only in having handkerchiefs on hand. Still no socks with pom poms, sorry." Wynne smiled at her. Besides the handkerchief, Wynne pulled out a little pouch and handed it to Kai. "Alistair gave this to me right before...before the gates. He made me promise to give it to you." Kai's hands shook as she opened it and tilted it upside down. Alistair's mother's pendant, the one she had found at Redcliffe, fell out onto her open palm. She remembered the pure joy on his face as she had given it to him. Her hand closed over it reflexively. There was a small piece of paper in the pouch as well, a note in Alistair's hand writing:

My Beloved,

I love you so much. More than my duty. More than Ferelden. More than my own life. If you have my mother's amulet, then my little trick with Wynne worked.

I couldn't let you die. I couldn't go on in a world without you in it. You are my compass, my light in the dark, my strength when I thought all was lost. You are so much stronger than I am, and you know it. You have the others to draw from, but for me, you were, are, the only source I needed or wanted.

I hope you will forgive me too. I haven't had a very happy life. But I would do it all again if it meant I could be with you. You made up for all the bad things a thousand times over. Being loved by you has been my greatest joy, and my greatest treasure.

I love you, always,

Alistair

Kai couldn't stop the sob rising in her throat. "You sodding bastard!" His voice didn't make a comment in her ear, probably sensing now was not a good time. She just cried into the handkerchief that Wynne had given her. She felt Wynn's hand stroking her head. Leli had come and hugged her from behind, and Zev just put a hand on her knee, gently rubbing it with his thumb. They all sat like that for a moment, letting her cry. Then, one of Anora's guards poked his head in from the doorway leading to the Landsmeet hall. "I am sorry to interrupt, but the coronation is about to begin. If you could all take your places?" He nodded in particular to Kai. "Especially you my lady, the people are very anxious to see you." And then he closed the door again.

"Kai, we need to talk about something else when the ceremony is over. I have something important to tell you, dear. " Wynne helped her dry her eyes and wiped her face with the other handkerchief.

"Is it bad or about Alistair? Because if it is, I think I have reached my quota for today," Kai tried to joke.

"No, it isn't bad, though it does have to do with Alistair in a way. But we can talk about it when we are done with this whole coronation business. It is too important, and you will have questions. We need more time than we have now." Wynn simply brushed a cool hand over her forehead.

"Ok, after this farce is over then," Kai smiled at her. "I love you, Wynn, thanks."

"I love you too, child." Wynne smiled back at her. "And maybe you want to wear that?" She looked pointedly at the amulet in Kai's palm.

Zev lifted it gently out of her hand and clasped it around her neck. The metal felt almost icy on her hot skin.

Kai lifted it and brushed it with her lips. "Let's go watch a viper get crowned."


	12. Chapter 12

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So, this is a spoiler scene for those playing the game, just FYI if you haven't gotten to the end yet. Of course it has my own twist, but I don't want to ruin things for anyone even in small ways._

_Oh and a bit of a cliffhanger, hope you don't mind. : ) But it is just a cliffhanger there will be more, this isn't the end, I promise so stay tuned!_

_Again, thanks for all of your support. And reviews. And again mea culpa on the mistake of having this story labeled complete when it wasn't. Please tell me what you think! : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai walked into the Landsmeet Hall, a huge room with a vaulted ceiling and balconies running along either side. The steps at the far end led to a dais with the throne on it. The Revered Mother was standing to one side of the dais waiting to give her blessing to Anora. All the nobility were lined up along the sides in the balconies and under them.

Kai went to join the rest of her friends and Fergus standing on the right of the hall facing the throne. Her group was at the front of all the other nobles, just like at Alistair's funeral. Circles, circles, circles, Kai thought. She smiled as she was greeted by Teagan and Eamon when she walked past them to put herself closer to the aisle. Oghren clapped her on the back, nearly toppling her again, and grinned like a maniac. Sten and Shale both just nodded. Leli put herself next to Sten, and Wynne stood next to her. Zev, who had been her shadow lately, followed her to the aisle and stood slightly behind her and Fergus. Argus pressed close to her thigh.

Maker, it is hot in here. Kai could feel rivulets of sweat running down her back under her armor and the scratch seems to be burning and throbbing now with the sweat and her body heat. She could feel the hair on her neck getting damp. She wished for a cool breeze or a bucket of water to dunk her head in. Then, the large double doors in the back of the hall opened, and the orchestra started up a regal, strong, warrior's tune as Anora strode down the aisle followed by her soldiers. Kai watched as the pretty little viper walked down the aisle as if she owned the place. Which, Kai had to admit to herself, Anora officially did after this little ceremony.

Kai felt her heart start thrumming in her chest, and the rhythm went with the headache that had developed in the back of her head. Andraste's holy knickers, it's just getting hotter in here! Kai thought dizzily. It must be all the bodies pressed so closely together in the enclosed space. It had been hot in the field at the cremation, but they had been in the open air. That had to be it, right? Either that or she was coming down with something. Kai had to ignore the urge to fan herself with her hands.

She watched Anora's beautifully clad back as she climbed to the top step of the dais and knelt before the Revered Mother. Kai felt her heart fluttering in her chest like a butterfly, and the Revered Mother's voice just became a buzz, as if a wasp were in the room. Kai suppressed the urge to laugh. What was next, her feet would hop like a rabbit? She thought she might have a whole damn garden before she was done. My, her thoughts were turning queerly today.

Kai's fingers itched and began rubbing the hilts of her daggers. Alistair should be up there, not that little viper. Her own head kept screaming it over and over again, Not her, HIM! "Are you all right, little sister?" She turned to see Fergus looking at her with concern.

"Fine, brother dear, just not used to so many warm bodies in an enclosed space." Kai smiled, but Fergus didn't look convinced. Kai wasn't convinced herself. She could feel sweat beading up on her cheeks. She wanted to chalk it up to emotional distress similar to what she felt at the funeral, but it wasn't the same. She felt as if flames were crawling under her skin, and the headache was just a sickening hum in the back of her head. She looked again towards the dais still fingering her daggers, thinking now easy it would be to use them on Anora.

"My dear Warden, let me save you from yourself. When playing with vipers it is best to be subtle," Zev's voice purred behind her as she felt his quick hands take her daggers from her. "I think the Revered Mother is about done, and I will just hold these for you until you get back. No?" Zev's voice was smooth, but she could see the hidden concern in his pale eyes.

"I will be fine, Zev. And thanks." She reached out and touched his arm; he felt cool and she almost wanted to cuddle up to him just to get relief. She noticed he looked at her hand as if it were a branding his skin. But instead of pulling away, he simply grasped her wrist with the fingers of his other hand and felt her pulse fluttering under his fingertips.

"Kai..." But whatever else Zev meant to say got interrupted by Anora's announcing her name and beckoning her to come forward as the "Hero of Ferelden." Kai felt the headache's humming getting worse, spreading from the back of her skull up along the top and going now towards her forehead. The clapping and cheering of the crowds wasn't helping. The flames under her skin were burning hotter than ever, and she knew her cheeks were flushed. The scratch was burning like acid on her skin, and she wanted nothing more than to peel off her armor and gouge the sensation out with her fingernails until she hit the bones of her ribs underneath.

She made herself face Anora and took great pleasure in watching the woman's eyes narrow with hatred when she saw the armor Kai had on. Kai only smiled and watched as Anora's lips moved, but it was very hard to hear what she was saying. Something about Kai being a hero and giving her a boon. Kai almost laughed in her face. She was sure Anora wouldn't have given her the boon except that it would look bad for her not to do so. She managed to keep control of herself even though the heat was getting unbearable and the room seemed to be moving back and forth as if she were on some giant child's swing.

Kai heard her own voice from far away telling Anora she wanted a memorial to all the Gray Wardens built so that Ferelden would never again forget why they were necessary. She watched Anora's eyes narrow again, but her voice was honey sweet in reply, even suggesting that they get scholars to study the darkspawn. Kai watched Anora's mouth, the only thing she could seem to focus on at the moment, as Anora told her that the people of Ferelden were anxious to see their hero and she should tell the guards when she was ready to go outside and greet them. Then, Anora giggled and told her not to keep them waiting. Kai imagined what it would look like if she stuck her daggers in Anora's chest and watched the blood fountain out of her mouth. That would stop the giggling really quickly. Something was definitely not right, she must be sick. Maybe too much time in the cold rain? Getting wet didn't make people sick, she berated herself. Whatever this was, she was glad Zev had taken her daggers.

Kai realized that Anora was done talking because everyone in the room was cheering her. Kai managed to get herself down the stairs from the dais without falling and congratulated herself on a job well done. How would anyone believe that she was the "Hero of Ferelden" if she showed the grace of a drunken cow? Kai wanted to giggle herself. She kept hearing a voice way in the back of her head almost crying her name; she thought it was Alistair's voice, but she couldn't be sure. It was so hard to hear it over the loud hum of the headache which now seemed to envelop her whole head. Even her teeth hurt. What was wrong with her? If she was sick, she figured she better go greet the Ferelden people and then put herself in bed. So, she made herself keep walking down the aisle past everyone to the big double doors.

The guard was speaking to her, she saw his lips moving, but it was difficult to hear him because his voice kept fading in and out. Ah, he wanted to know if she was ready. Kai hope she kept her voice normal when she told him she was. He didn't seem to think anything was amiss. The guard opened the doors, and she walked out onto the stone balcony overlooking the courtyard of the palace. It was thronged with people. Kai wanted to laugh hysterically when it occurred to her that they looked like packed and salted fish in a barrel sent from Gwaren.

Instead, she found herself waving, and the crowd just cheered. Kai thought out here the heat might abate, being in fresh air, but the fire under her skin seemed to be getting even hotter, if that was possible. She felt as if she were burning from the inside out, and the damn sun was so bright it hurt her eyes. Kai put a hand over her forehead to block it out.

She figured she better say something. "People of Ferelden, I stand before you," feeling like a drunken dwarf her own mind said, "and you call me the 'Hero of Ferelden.' But I am not the true hero. That title belongs to Alistair Theirin, Maric's son. Some would call him 'bastard,' but he was your savior. Never let the word 'bastard' be used in connection with his name ever again. He deserves the honor of being recognized as Maric's blood. The blood of Calenhad, the Silver Knight, ran in his veins, and he proved it to you all. Don't let his sacrifice go without note. His remains are at Highever, and you should all remember him on this day. Let this day, be 'Alistair's Day' for as long as Ferelden stands. Say his name now, let it fall from your lips. The true 'Hero of Ferelden,' and Maric's son, ALISTAIR!" Kai pushed her fist into the air, and a roaring cheer went up from the crowd.

Pretty good for off the cuff, Kai old girl, she told herself. Guess some of Mother's training stuck after all. And that speech is really going to piss Anora off. Kai felt laughter burbling up again. She seemed to be doing a lot of laughing lately. She felt as if the sun were burning through her skin from the outside to meet the flames under her skin on the inside. She was sweating so much her hair was getting wet. But she didn't care. The crowds were shouting his name. Chanting it, as it passed from those closest and moving back like wind across a wheat field. A chant for her beloved. She heard them saying his name, but her hearing seemed to be like waves lapping a shore. She could hear them chanting "Alistair, Alistair," but it would recede, then come in loud again.

Kai took her hand down from her forehead, as she was having trouble keeping her balance that way. The sensation that the world had turned into a giant swing returned. No not a swing, like the word was an ocean tide and it kept coming in and going out again. Interesting, she thought, until she started to pitch forward. She felt hands grab her armor from behind, keeping her from breaking her teeth, her nose and her skull on the stone balcony's floor. She supposed she should be grateful, but her head hurt even more, if that was possible. She thought she heard the crowd gasp in alarm, but she really couldn't be sure.

She saw Zev's worried face above her own, felt his cool fingers brushing her sweaty hair from her face. He seemed to be checking her eyes. What was that all about? She wanted to make a joke that he was the savior of damsels pitching face forward today, but she couldn't get the words out. Zev was breaking open a little vial and forcing some kind of bitter, thick liquid into her mouth.

She thought that Wynne was there, and maybe the others too? But she couldn't really move her head or her eyes, it hurt too much. She wanted to close them against the bright sun and sleep, but Zev would slap her cheeks and call her name. He was also unbuckling her armor with fevered fingers. She wanted to make a joke about his taking advantage of her in public, but it was too much effort, and her tongue felt thick and useless.

She could feel the armor breastplate lifting off her, leaving her in the cotton shirt underneath. She wanted to thank him, tell him that it felt much better, but before she could even try he was practically ripping up the shirt to look at, and touch with his cool fingers, the scratch along her ribs. "What in the Maker's name is wrong with her?" She heard Fergus's anguished voice as the tide of the world came back in again. But she didn't hear the response before it went back out.

She felt cool hands and magic snaking along her skin, particularly around her abdomen. Ah, Wynne, I am so glad I got your forgiveness. Kai smiled to herself. She really didn't see what the fuss was about. When the world came back into focus, she heard Wynne say something about needing to protect them both. Both of whom? she wondered. But the sounds went out on the tide again.

Funny, whatever Zev had put into her mouth seemed to be cool and soothing. It had tasted awful, but the flames under her skin seemed to be abating a little, at least around her face. And the ache in her head was better. She still hurt a lot, but it didn't seem to be building up as it had been.

She had been looking at the sky, so blue with clouds and the occasional bird flying across her field of vision, but a sparkling light had suddenly appeared. She kept hearing waves lapping, and the light turned into a lot of little sparkles, like sunshine on water. It was like the light hitting the surface of the lake outside Highever where her family would sometimes go for picnics and to swim in the Summer. Kai felt herself falling into to that water, and it was so refreshing and cool, she just let herself dive right into it.


	13. Chapter 13

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So, what would you do if you were in the Fade with those you loved and lost, but were begged to go back and continue saving the world and the others you loved who were fighting the good fight? This question is probably going to be spread across multiple chapters, just something to ponder._

_SPOILER: I don't know what is going to happen in Awakenings, and in Return to Ostagar you don't find Duncan's body. But I put him in the Fade, I don't even want to think of a Dunc-spawn, as Duncan is one of my favorite characters. So in my story, he is dead._

_Also, there is a little sex scene in here, which I hope I did tastefully but still kept it sexy. I mean if you hadn't been with the one you love going on almost a month now, wouldn't you jump them? That and the cussing is the reason I rated this as T._

_I hope you enjoy this next chapter. And thank you so much for your reviews, messages, and encouragement! This story is compelling me to write it, but your support makes it even more a joy. _

_Blessing!_

Kai came up from under the cool water of the small lake outside of Highever as she had a thousand times before. She lay on her back floating in the cool dark water, watching the clouds scuttle across the sky. Had she been dreaming? She must have been. What a horrible and beautifully realistic dream, too. Ah, but today was a day for relaxing and taking in the fresh air. She could smell water and grass and the wildflowers growing on the bank.

Today must be "Cousland Camaraderie Day," as her family had labeled it. Her family always took a day once a month where no servants waited on them or disturbed them. It was a day off for the servants as well as the family. The family didn't attend to castle business or politics unless it was an emergency, they just spent it with each other. It was her favorite day of any month, even more than her birthday.

Kai flipped over and began to tread water, looking at the shore. There was Highever, the stone walls shining light gray in the sun. What a beautiful sight. And someone was waving at her to come ashore, her father probably. Ah, lunch must be ready. Kai started to cut through the water with graceful strokes. She loved skimming through the water and took a moment to delight in the sensation. Her father often joked that she was part selkie.

She got to shore and found a cotton towel and her clothes. She dried off as best she could and slipped on her tunic, pants, and boots. Kai knew where everyone would be – in the garden next to the orchard where they kept the bees. Her family would be there with a table laden with food and blankets to lie on in the grass while Father and Mother, she and Fergus, and Oriana and Oren would take turns reading aloud from either a new book Father had gotten for their library or from an old favorite they all loved hearing again and again.

Kai headed towards her favorite spot in Highever, winding her way through the orchard of apple trees. Their blooms were falling like snow when the breezes caught the blossoms. She took a deep breath. It was so...perfect. She wanted to laugh and dance. She felt so free, so happy.

She came to the walls of the garden and the sturdy wooden gate set in it. She traced her fingers over the familiar words carved into the gate whose varnish had darkened to a deep honey brown with age:

"Cha d'dhuin doras nach d'fhosgail" – no door ever closed but another opened

And without having to open the door and swing it, she knew the garden side had three words carved in it:

"gaol, gra, gaire" - live, love, laugh

Maker, it felt good to really be home; that dream had seemed so real. That horrible dream. A dream where she let her parents die, she drank the tainted blood of monsters, let people down, killed other (sometimes innocent) people. A dream where she had the fate of Ferelden hanging on her decisions.

And those monsters had been horrible creatures. Kai shuddered. She had had to chose between bad decisions or worse ones. Sometimes, the decision was between a lot of people getting hurt or only some. Kai didn't think she would ever complain to her parents about making decisions on the running of Highever ever again. Somehow, running a castle was easy in comparison.

She had to admit some of the dream was not so bad. She had met and befriended interesting people whom she had loved and who loved her. She had loved and been loved by a man, Alistair. The name seemed to whisper among the falling blossoms. Then, it was as if a cloud came over the sun. She had watched him die. Okay, everything which seemed good in that dream had been tainted like that blood she drank. Best to leave that dream far behind.

Today was family day. Love and laughter and living, as the door said. She smiled. Kai grabbed the heavy wrought iron handle of the door to the garden and stepped through, turning to close it behind her. "I'm here! I hope you didn't let Fergus start without me, or he will eat up all the blackberries before I get any!" She turned from closing the door to find him standing there, the bloke from her dreams, He was just grinning at her.

Not a dream, real. This must be the Fade. Kai strode forward as the Kai she had been just a moment ago and the Kai that was made in the heat of battle collided. She walked at a fast pace, closing the distance between her and Alistair. When she was close enough, her fist shot out and landed squarely on his jaw. Part of Kai's mind registered that she must have caught him by surprise. Alistair was a shield warrior, it took a lot to knock him down. "Hee-yyy! That hurts even in the Fade you know." He rubbed his jaw where her fist had landed. Kai could only stare at him.

She could feel her face getting hot with fury. "You sodding, Thunder humping..." Kai was so mad she was at a loss for words. "NUG HUMPER!" she screamed at him. "How dare you! Just, how dare you?" Kai paced back and forth in front of him, balling and unballing her fists. "If you weren't already dead, I would kill you myself!"

It was then that she heard other voices. "Mum, what is a nug humper?" Oren's sweet voice piped up.

"Ask your Auntie later, dear," came her sister-in-law, Oriana's, tart but amused reply. "I will let her explain that one."

"Brother, you really know how to pick the feisty ones don't you? Of course, I knew how beautiful and strong she was when I met her when she was ten and kicked those noble's brats arses so soundly, glorious! You really are lucky." A voice Kai registered as Cailan's laughing voice came from her right.

"Indeed, you can see why I wanted to recruit her. Though I don't recall her language skills being so- diverse at the time," Duncan's deep, beloved, amused voice rumbled gently from her left.

It was her father's voice behind her that made her anger drain out. "There's my fierce girl."

"Fierce girl, indeed! I am proud to say she takes after her mother, except for the appalling language. Wherever did she learn it?" Eleanore Cousland's voice, filled with laughter, sounded from behind her next to her father's voice. "I dare say I would have done the same thing to you though, Bryce. Honestly, men can be just like small boys. You don't just...surprise a girl like that."

Kai whirled around to see her parents standing together, looking at her with smiling faces and eyes glowing with love for her. "Hello, Pup." Her father smiled at her and opened his arms. She had never seen such a beautiful sight. Her heart constricted, and she just threw herself at them. She heard herself babbling, saying their names over and over again, then how much she had missed them and loved them. Tears ran down her cheeks. She motioned Oriana and Oren over, and they all just hugged each other. Then, Oren broke in wanting more of the attention that was being given to his 'Auntie' for himself. Kai just scooped him up and kissed him until he started to protest and then she hung him upside down and tickled him until he giggled with delight and turned red in the face. "No, Auntie, stop, stop!" he protested, though he was laughing and obviously wanting more.

"What's that? I can't hear you, someone is laughing too loudly," Kai told him as she held his legs with one hand and tickled him with the other. He squirmed and shrieked in her arms.

Kai had missed them so much. She realized she had been so busy saving Ferelden that she not only didn't have the time to mourn them, but she also never had the time to miss them properly; Oriana's "proper behavior as done by Antivan women" running joke, Oren's laugh, her father calling her "pup", her mothers teasing scolding. Oh how she missed them!

Kai realized that their family reunion was being watched with polite interest by the others in the garden. Kai put Oren down and turned to Duncan and Cailan. What did you say to the young king you were supposed to save and didn't?

She bowed her head flushing, "Your majesty, I am so sorry."

But Cailan merely tilted her chin up to look at him. "First, I am not a king here." He held up a hand to stop her protest. "Second, it wasn't your fault. You take too much on yourself, dear lady...Kai. I am just sorry I was not able to fulfill my promise to you." Cailan brushed her knuckles with his lips.

She felt tears welling up, and then she turned to Duncan. She gave Duncan the same treatment she had her Father. She just sort of launched herself at him. This man she had only gotten to know for the briefest of moments. The man on whose face she had seen such incredible sadness as they left her parents behind to die. A great man, who had believed in her, trusted her to do right by the Gray Wardens and Ferelden. A man who had stepped in for her Father, however briefly. This man whom she felt as though she had failed. The man whose face a demon in the dream side of the Fade had taken, and she had been forced to kill. She found herself sobbing into his shirt front. Duncan hugged her tightly. "There, there, child, all is well. All is well," he just kept repeating until her tears had finally stopped. Maker, she was tired of crying. She was doing more crying now than she had in her entire childhood and in the space of the last month to boot. She kissed Duncan on the cheek and smiled when he looked bashful.

Then, she turned back to him. She watched Alistair's eyes get wide, and he threw up his hands and started to back away, but he found himself getting closer to the garden wall with nowhere to go. Just where Kai wanted him. Silly man, he should employ better tactics than that against the enemy. Her mind gave a little giggle at his expression of wariness. He looked as if she were some wolf about to bite him. Oh, she would bite him, and nibble, and lick...

Kai jumped him, literally, wrapping her legs around his waist as she smothered his mouth with hers. She nipped his bottom lip and smoothed the bite away with her tongue. She remembered well the taste of him, the scent of him. These familiar things just entwined themselves around her until she felt the two of them were one person and the rest of the world didn't exist anymore. She felt his surprise and wariness quickly overcome as he responded by nibbling her top lip and running his tongue just inside her mouth only to take it away, daring her to follow. Maker, how she had missed this!

It was Oren's childish voice which brought her back to the fact that they had an audience. "Mommy, why did Auntie hit him and then climb him like a tree?"

Kai realized that she had, indeed, climbed up him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and her hands pulled on the back of his head, crushing his lips on hers. Alistair had one hand fisted in her hair and the other on her...um...hindquarters. His big hand with its long fingers was doing enticing things along her inner thigh. She knew she was blushing, but she was not about to let go. From the look on Alistair's face, he felt the same way.

Oriana's voice came as if from far away. "I think it is time we went inside Oren. Your Auntie and Alistair have a lot of catching up to do." And Kai heard rather than saw them leave the garden. Duncan and Cailan both chuckled as they walked the way Oriana and Oren had gone.

She heard her father's voice say, "I really like your young man, Pup."

Then, she heard her mother's voice, "Reminds me of us, Bryce," and her soft laugh as her parents left them alone in the garden.

She looked at Alistair almost not daring to believe it was him. She remembered the last time she had looked at his beloved face and into his dark gray eyes. She remembered the day he sacrificed himself and how he had looked at her. She remembered the way his face looked as he lay on the bier at the funeral. Her eyes began to fill. "No, my love, don't." He took his hand from her hair to thumb away the tears that had started down her face.

"I really hate you. You know that, don't you?"

He just smiled his lopsided smile. "Understood." And then he kissed her again. His mouth smothered hers, taking her into that wet slippery world. She felt as if the top of her head had come off and was spinning around. How did the man do that with just a kiss? Granted, she had had only three lovers in her lifetime, but none had had this affect with just a kiss.

Dizzy, she moaned and nipped and licked and allowed herself to run her tongue in his mouth and along his lips. She felt him laying her backwards...on a bed? The garden had disappeared, and they were in a bed in the middle of a clearing in a forest. She cocked an eyebrow at him. "It 's the Fade; you can go anywhere, visit anyone and make your own reality. I wanted privacy and to be outdoors like the first time we..."

"Licked a lamppost in Winter?" Kai smiled at him. "I don't remember our having a bed the night you asked to jump me."

"I remember my asking in a very romantic manner for the pleasure of your company in your tent."

"Oh, you mean sweating nervously and then telling me your head felt as if it were going to explode every time you were around me? Yes, very romantic." Kai found herself giggling as he tickled her ribs in retaliation for her cheek.

Then, he cupped her face in one of his hands and looked into her eyes before his lips were on hers again. He ran the other hand along her belly, leaving a trail of fire. No one had ever lit as many fires with just lips and hands alone as he did. He sighed her name before his lips were once again crushed on hers, and then he moved to her jaw and down her neck. His hands skimmed the skin of her breasts, his thumbs teasing and causing intense waves of energy to pulse down her body until she was arching under him. He ran his hands along the inside of her legs, his fingers leaving trails of longing.

She found her own hands running along his back, feeling the muscles tense under her fingers when she bit his neck or licked his collarbone or kissed the smooth muscles of his chest. Her fingers moved up to knead the muscles of his shoulders restlessly. He moaned when she ran a fingertip up his spine starting at his lower back and sliding up between his shoulder blades. It was one of those arousing moves Kai had learned when they were first discovering each other. His response was to torture her by closing his mouth first on one breast then the other until she thought she her system would just implode. Ah, each of them still knew what made the other crazy. She smiled to herself. She had been a little nervous, truth be told.

She never could figure out how they got out of their clothes. The steps between kissing and naked never seemed to register when they were together. She allowed herself to cry out and moan as she hadn't been completely free to do when they were at camp or when sneaking stolen moments in each other's rooms at Redcliffe or Arl Eamon's place in Denerim. At Redcliffe or Denerim, it had always felt as if they were two wayward teenagers who might get caught and sent to the Chantry to do penance.

She felt her system raging under his hands, her longing cutting through like a blade. Sweat had broken out all over her skin, and she could feel herself flushing. She wanted him to fill her up, body and soul. She had been so empty. She opened for him and then closed on him like a hot wet fist. They moved together sweetly, building on each others' pleasure.

She had always likened it to climbing a mountain that was spinning madly. Each step built up her pleasure until she thought her heart would simply give out as she gasped out her last ragged breath when she could take no more. Her orgasm released like an arrow from a bow and sent her flying. She felt his own body shudder as hers arched under his, her body gripping his and her legs wrapped around him as if to keep him prisoner. Their hands were linked together in fists, their lips together breathing each others' breath as she cried out his name. His ragged breathing echoed her own as he buried his face in her hair and collapsed on top of her.

She always felt as if she had left the world when they made love. Now that she was in the Fade, she really had left the world. She let a giggle escape from her lips. "A laugh is not exactly what a man wants to hear from his lover." Alistair unhooked his hands from hers to frame her face as he looked her in the eyes. She mirrored his move.

"It is if that lover is completely boneless and feels as if her skin is velvet and she has been dunked in molten metal." She looked into his eyes. "Oh, how I have missed you." He smiled and kissed the end of her nose before rolling to the side and pulling her to him. She simply placed her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat as it slowly returned to normal.

How familiar this was, how delicious. She wanted to purr like a cat. She felt so complete, so relaxed. She hadn't realized how tense she had been for so long. She supposed that killing had a way of making people tense. She suppressed the urge to laugh again. Her thoughts seemed ready to fly away as her body had.

Her eyes started to droop, but popped open in a flash. "Alistair."

"Hmm?" with the end of hmm going up in that way he liked to do. His hands were gently stroking her arm and her back, whatever skin he could reach even though his eyes were closed. It was almost as if he was afraid she was going to disappear.

She had a brief moment of amusement since they were both in the Fade. "I kept hearing your voice in my head. Was that really you?" Not that she supposed it mattered now, but it could have been she was quietly going mad after all.

He looked sheepish and blushed. "I know I should have probably left you alone so you could grieve and get on, but I couldn't help it. I missed you so, and you were so sad."

She put her hands on his lips to stop his usual wont to babble. "I think hearing you saved me at the funeral."

"Well, I tried to leave you alone that day. You seemed so sad, and I thought I might make it worse. And then I felt what you felt, your fear and longing, and you were screaming into your own head. I was afraid you were...that you were going to lose yourself and all that makes you, you, would be lost and I was going to be lost, too. I wanted you to come back to me as you, not broken. I had to stop it. I couldn't take it." He looked at her with tears in his eyes.

She could see the fear he felt for her that day. "I was afraid for me, too. You saved me twice." She leaned in and kissed him lingeringly, stroking the side of his face with her fingertips.

"I wonder if Fergus hears Oriana. I mean, I never discussed it with him or with anyone else, for that matter. I figured they'd think I was going mad. I did wonder, myself."

"I believe I can answer that question and many more, Warden," a soft feminine voice commented.


	14. Chapter 15

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So what is going on, and who is our mystery figure, a creepy voyeur or something else? I hope you enjoy this next installment. Please let me know what you think._

_And a little bit of a surprise for Alistair and Kai, that I would love to know if anyone reading along saw coming. I tried to hint but not to strongly. So read on to see, and hang on to your hats, it is going to be a bumpy ride. : )_

_Thanks for all your support and encouragement. Your reviews, private messages, and putting me on your favorites, and author watch lists means so much. It really helps keep the muse going._

_Blessings!_

Kai and Alistair jumped guiltily and grasped at the, Maker be blessed, covers. Kai had a moment to think how funny this moment might be with them both blushing, especially Alistair whose flush seemed to be extending all the way down to his...um...toes. That is, if it were not for the creepiness of having a hooded female figure standing at the foot of the bed. The figure merely smiled as if she could read Kai's thoughts. Kai couldn't really see much of the face except the mouth because the rest was in shadow, so she had no idea if the smile was one of amusement or something else. "You two might like to get dressed, yes? And then we can all go back to Highever. Or at least what your minds created as Highever here." The figure turned and walked a distance away keeping her back to them.

"Friend of yours?" Kai asked Alistair with a grin as she put on her tunic.

"What? No!" Alistair spluttered. "Why would you think that?"

He is so cute when he gets flustered and blushes, she thought to herself. "Because you have been in the Fade longer than I have?" Kai raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought maybe you picked up a girlfriend while I was stuck in the real world," Kai laughed at him.

"Oh, you are evil, you're a bad person." He grinned at her.

"Do you hate me?" she asked him coyly as she reached over and kissed him, running her fingers through his hair.

"Yes." And he nibbled on her earlobe setting off a familiar aching need.

"You had better stop, I don't think our visitor is going to want to wait while we have hot animalistic sex again."

"Oh, 'animalistic'? What did you have in mind?" he asked cheekily, but he pulled away from her, running his fingertips down the side of her face in that familiar way.

"Shall we go now?" The cloaked figure gestured sweeping out her arm, but there seemed to be amusement in the woman's voice and body language. Kai grinned at Alistair and shrugged. They followed the figured across the forest glade which shimmered and became the great hall at Highever before they hit the tree line.

Apparently, everyone but Oren was sitting and waiting for their arrival. This conversation was for adults only, it appeared.

They had one other new visitor whom Kai did not recognize at first. It took a moment. He looked so familiar, like Alistair and Cailan. Another brother? And then it hit her, King Maric, her king, and her old friend. He looked younger than she remembered.

She had seen him at a tourney held at Highever in his honor when she was a little girl. He had given her private lessons with a wooden dagger he'd had made just for her. The man sitting here was the same man who had sat her on his knee and told her stories and fed her cheese. The man who had given her a set of finely made duel daggers when she was ten, and had given her more lessons. The man who had written her when his busy schedule permitted. The man who had been the second friend to die on her, and taught her what grief truly was.

She went to him and was about to kneel, but he put a hand under her elbow and stopped her. "Please, my little friend, dear lady, don't do that. As Cailan said, none of us have titles here." He smiled a familiar lopsided smile, and she realized how much Alistair and Cailan looked like their father.

"I..." Maric put a finger on her lips and stopped her. "Please, no explanations or apologies to me, my dear friend. I have nothing to complain about." He simply looked at her with the same bright blue eyes Cailan had. Maker, they all shared so many traits she was going to give herself mental vertigo comparing them. She gave herself an internal head slap.

Alistair walked up behind her and placed his hands around her waist. Maric smiled at them both. "You have grown into a strong, smart, beautiful woman. But then, I knew that you would be remarkable, from the first moment we met. My son is very lucky."

Alistair kissed the back of her head, and she could feel him smiling. "Thank you my lord, Maric...my friend, Maric?" She corrected herself, laughing self consciously.

"Well, that is my name and one I gave you permission to use long ago. I have missed your friendship, dear girl. I am so very happy to know that you and my son found each other. I couldn't have wished for a better person for him. You made him happy-"

"Makes me happy, Father." Again Kai could feel his grin in her hair.

Maric smiled at her again, "For that, and your love of me, not as your king but as your friend; and for your saving Ferelden, I owe you my gratitude. But especially for Alistair."

The hooded figure had watched all of this quietly, standing near the flames roaring in the fireplace. The soft voice broke into the exchange. "I believe I offered you answers, Warden." She gestured for Kai and Alistair to take a seat.

Kai sat next to Alistair; he took her hand and linked their fingers. Kai broke in before the cloaked figure could start. "First of all, who in the Maker's name are you? I mean, I don't want to be rude, but your showing up, cloaked and offering answers, is really kind of creepy." Kai just looked pointedly at the figure. "And your being cloaked and standing in front of the fire so you are just a silhouette is not helping."

"Not to mention maybe watching us in an intimate act of passion," Alistair whispered out of the side of his mouth, causing Kai to grin at him.

Again, Kai thought she caught a smile from the hooded figure, but it was really hard to tell. "Let us just say I am a messenger for the Maker."

"Really, does he send a 'messenger' to all newly dead people? Do I get a fruit basket, a welcome-to-being-dead gift?" Kai asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I think she has been around Alistair a little too long," came Duncan's retort.

"Hey, I resemble that remark," Alistair quipped. "But I certainly didn't get a visit when I showed up here. I feel insulted."

The hooded figure sighed. "You did not get a special visit because you were indeed dead. But, the Warden is not."

Kai felt herself leaping up from the couch as if she had been set on fire. "Not dead, of course I'm dead. I am here aren't I?"

"Part of you is here in the Fade, in large part due to your connection to Alistair. But a part of you is still alive there in Ferelden. The mage Wynne used her spirit helper, at great risk to herself, to keep you alive." The hooded figure paced. "When the Maker makes souls, some souls get split in two. They are really one, but can inhabit two different bodies. This doesn't happen very often, but you and Alistair are two such souls. It is why you can speak to him across the Veil, and he to you. You are never really separated. It is why you would have found each other even if your lives had been different and the Blight had not brought you together. But, only a part of your soul is here. There is a small spark still keeping your corporeal form alive, aided by Wynne's helper."

The hooded figure took a pitcher and poured water into a silver bowl that had materialized in her hand. She held it out to Kai. "Take it and I will show you."

Kai took the bowl and sat back down on the couch. The others in the room all gathered behind her. The hooded figure brushed her hands over the water, and it began to sound like the tide lapping and to sparkle like sun on the surface of the lake. "That is what I saw before I ended up here."

"Yes, it was your way of passing through the Veil. Look."

Kai saw a doll – no it was herself – lying in a bed. Zev, dear Zev, was sitting in a chair next to her along with Fergus. Zev had placed a red rose, _the_ rose in her hands, and he stroked her hair and kissed her forehead.

So that was why he went right after her at the funeral. He saw her put the rose on the bier, and he had taken it back. She had been so distraught she hadn't even noticed it was missing. She could hear Zev speaking as if from a long way off.

"Kai, you need to come back. It is my fault, dear friend; I should have seen the signs of poison sooner. We need you here. If you don't come back, Anora wins." She watched as Zev clenched his fists and unclenched them. "I need you here, we all need you here. Please, come back."

"Please, little sister." Kai watched while Fergus put his hand on her forehead. It was breaking her heart to hear the fear in their voices.

"They need you, Warden Kaidana Cousland." The cloaked figure used her full name. "Ferelden needs you once again, or great suffering will befall it."

"Will befall it? You mean Anora is going to be that bad?" Alistair asked. The figure nodded an affirmative to Alistair's question. And then, everyone in the whole room started talking at once.

"No," Kai whispered.

"I don't understand." The hooded figure effectively cut everyone off mid-sentence.

"I said 'No.' I will not go back. I'm through. You overplayed your hand, spirit. I did my duty by Ferelden. I'm not going back," Kai said slowly and deliberately so her meaning was not lost.

"Kaidana..." the hooded figure began, but was cut off as Kai threw the bowl from her lap with such force that it hit the wall and dented, splashing its contents over half the room. She got up from the couch, shaking.

"I said 'NO!' I have had enough of being the Maker's puppet, his toy, his plaything. He can't even keep his other creations from the Blight without help. Well, let him find another to clean up his messes. I'm done!" Kai's rage and her fear rose up to swallow her.

_How could they see her as this savior, this hero? Didn't they understand?_

She thought she was going to choke on it all. She found everything spilling out of her, all the failures. Everyone kept on seeing her as this strong, smart leader. They looked at her as if she knew what she was doing. Maker, she had been a Gray Warden all of four days before she was running around Ferelden trying to get an army together and avoid Loghain. She was no leader, it was just a facade._ Couldn't they see it? _ Kai pleaded with them. All her decisions just meant death and destruction. _How could they not see it?_

Kai felt all the anger, grief and despair that she had kept locked up behind a numb wall, finally burst. Great choking sobs had her bending over on the floor and confessing all of her failures. Her failure to save Duncan and Cailan because the beacon took so long to get lit. Killing men in Lothering simply because they were starving and thought the bounty on her head would put food on their tables. Watching Daveth die at the tower. Killing Branka, Oghren's wife, so they could destroy the Anvil of the Void. Alistair had been there for all of it, but these weren't his decisions. Her decisions created such death and destruction. It all rested squarely on her shoulders. The burden was hers, and hers alone.

The litany of her failures kept tumbling out of her mouth. She listed them all, not expecting any absolution or forgiveness. How could there be? And then she confessed the one that broke her, Alistair's death. She had watched him die when she could have used magic to save him. What had her choices done but bring death and destruction? So much death caused by her or because of her. And they wanted her to go back and cause more? Kai sobbed while they all tried to comfort her. Alistair in particular tried to hold her but she was inconsolable.

Then, Maric's quiet voice broke through her sobbing, "So many lives rest on all of your decisions, don't they? To know that, not only can just a few people die based on what you decide, but that a lot of people can and probably will?" Maric bent down and smoothed away her tears with his fingers. "To become what you hate to save what you love."

Kai just nodded, he understood where the others didn't. Maric just smiled a sad and knowing smile.

"I was told by Flemeth that was what would happen to me. She was right. I think it happens to anyone who is called to, who is born to, do the difficult jobs that no one else can do." He gently picked her up off the floor. "I think, dear lady, you are one of those people as well."

"Then you must see why you were, are, such a well loved king," Kai told him.

"Then it should not be so hard to see why you are so well loved yourself, dear friend. No one is asking you to be perfect except you. And believe me, perfection is not possible. I tried, and it made me miserable, and I failed spectacularly at it." Kai could see where Alistair got his humor from. "I would rather have someone like you, who agonizes over the consequences of her decisions, helping the country, than someone like Anora, who does not. Wouldn't you?" Maric smiled at her before encircling her in his arms, hugging her and helping her to rise.

"There is something else you should know Kaidana," the hooded spirit interjected. They all looked towards their visitor.

"Uh oh, this can't be good," quipped Alistair.

The spirit merely turned an amused look on Alistair and said, "The Theirin line is not dead. It lives in you, Kaidana."


	15. Chapter 16

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_I hope you enjoyed my little twist, and I hope you are enjoying the story so far._

_So nice of the spirit to drop a bombshell like that no? What mayhem will ensue? I hope you will stay with me and find out. : )_

_Thanks again for all your support. Your reviews have been wonderfully kind and your encouragement just keeps inspiring me._

_Blessings! : )_

"You lie, spirit. Two Gray Wardens together can't have children." Kai just stared at the hooded figure, feeling as if her stomach had dropped into her feet.

"It is difficult for a Gray Warden to produce a child with someone without tainted blood, and two with tainted blood makes that even harder, 'tis true. But it does not mean it is impossible, Kaidana." The hooded figure smiled again in amusement. "You are living proof of that. Or at least your body is."

"Looks like you are going to be a father, brother, congratulations." Cailan clapped Alistair on the back grinning at his stunned expression.

"Another grandchild, I am so happy." Her mother's voice chimed in.

"Elle," her father's nickname for her mother sounded like a warning. Her father, like Fergus, was always able to read her so well.

Kai felt fear crawling along her skin like baby spiders, and her hands were making fists so hard the knuckles were white. She unclenched her fists and opened her hands, looking at them as if they didn't belong to her. She had created bloody little semicircles where her nails had bitten into her skin, breaking it. Another bar in the cage. She felt the walls closing in on her; she needed to get out and think.

Only Duncan, Maric, and Alistair had not made a comment so far. Alistair looked pale and in shock.

She cocked an eyebrow at them. "Well, any comments or ideas on what I should do with my life?" They said nothing and kept their faces neutral. "Really, because I just figured that everyone should decide but me." She looked down and found she was in her leather armor with her daggers strapped on. How appropriate, since she was basically going to war with herself. "No? Nothing...well that is interesting." She could hear how bitter she sounded. She turned back to the hooded figure. "You will have my decision, when I decide."

The figure merely bowed its head. "Don't take too long, Kaidana." Kai felt her hand reflexively going to one of her daggers. She was really getting tired of hearing her full name as if the figure owned her or she was a naughty child.

Kai turned and strode from the hall letting her feet take her where they would. They took her to the training grounds near the armory. Hay filled dummies were scattered about the large round courtyard while targets for practicing archery stood against stone walls to East, South, West, and North quarters of the training ground.

Kai began attacking one of the dummies, first with her unarmed martial arts skills as a sort of warm up. Hitting, twirling, kicking – a nice sweat started to bead up along her skin, and she felt her muscles loosen up. Kai ran a distance from the dummy and unsheathed her daggers, took a running start and flung them as she did a forward tumble, coming back to her feet to continue her forward momentum and grab the daggers sticking out of the hapless dummy as she vaulted over it, doing a somersault. Without turning around, she stabbed the dummy from behind in what would be its kidneys.

She continued fighting the dummy, letting her mind clear as her body went through the almost reflexive movements of her rogue training. Her blades blurred faster and faster until hay started tumbling to the ground and filling the air, falling like golden snow. In one final spit of rage, Kai spun and the dummy's "head" went sailing across the courtyard to tumble and roll, landing at Alistair's feet. He just picked it up and looked at her. "Who is that supposed be? Our little messenger, the ray of sunshine?" He gave her that lopsided grin. Kai found herself laughing despite her anger and her heavy breathing. How did he do that? Kai bent down, placing her hands on her knees and panting, letting her sweat cool on the night air.

Alistair walked up and held out his arms to her. She found herself just burying her face in his chest while he rested his chin on her on top of her head. They just stayed like that for a while. "What do you think I should do?" she finally ventured to ask him.

He stepped back and tilted her chin to look at him. "I think you should do what you want to do." He smoothed back her hair from her face.

"You have a stake in this too, Alistair." She looked into his face, but his expression was difficult to read for once.

"All my life, people made decisions for me. No one asked what I wanted until Duncan, and then you. You are the only two people who ever really cared about me." He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips. "How can I take a decision away from you?" He kissed her again tenderly. "Don't ask me to do that to you." He sighed and held her close. "Do I find being a father wonderful idea? Yes, I do. Would it be even more wonderful if I could actually be there to be a father? Definitely. But my wants don't come into this. Not this time."

Kai sobbed, "I don't want to be without you again. I don't know that I can do it. A huge part of me wants to stay here, to be with you, make love to you. You are my heart and soul."

"And if little miss sunshine is right, we literally are each others' heart and soul," Alistair quipped. His joke stopped her tears and again had her laughing. He tilted her chin again to look into her eyes. "You heard the mysterious, boogity boo, scary, cloaky, spirit person. We are always together." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"Alright, let's go talk to the boogity boo lady." Kai gave him a wan smile, wrapping her arm around his waist as they made their way back to the hall. Everyone who wasn't standing, stood, and those standing and pacing, stopped when they came in. Kai suddenly felt as if she were naked as all eyes turned towards her.

"Okay, I will go back," she heard herself say, though she couldn't believe it. It was as if her tongue had a mind of its own. She didn't even remember having made up her mind yet. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "But I have a quid pro quo. I will not be going to the Deep Roads when I get the Calling. I am not going back there ever again. I have had my fill of the place. I am not going to take the chance of being turned into a Broodmother. I will drink poison or hang myself or stick my head in a dwarven lava channel. Whatever comes in handy." The hooded figure just looked at her with that amused smile on her face. That smile, along with the use of her full name, was getting annoying. "I don't give a tinker's damn what the Chantry says about taking your own life." Kai paced. "That is my deal, spirit. Take it to the Maker and see what he says." Kai turned and sat down before her shaking legs gave out. The rest of them just continued to stare at her with varying looks of amusement or shock.

"Actually, Kaidana, there was one more offer I was going to make to you to 'sweeten' the ante in our game of Wicked Grace, but you came to your decision, no?" The spirit made a wide gesture with her hands and continued, "The offer was this. Lady Isolde still has some of the Ashes of Andraste you brought back from the temple. She is going to offer to use them to save you. When they are used, they will remove the taint from your blood. You will be able to live a long and normal life. At least, normal for you." The spirit smiled again at her own joke.

"And why would Lady Isolde offer to save me? We didn't part on the best of terms." Kai felt herself flushing, and she couldn't look at Alistair. "And wouldn't the Ashes work that way on any Warden? Won't that start a clamor to use them until we run out? That could set a dangerous precedent," Kai scowled. "And by the by, I really don't like you; you're toying with me. Push too far, and I might change my mind." Kai crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at the figure before her.

The figure only laughed, lightly and liltingly. "Ah, my spiritual daughter, you are a stubborn soul just as He made you. We would not have you any other way." White hands raised and lifted off the hood of the cloak to reveal honey colored hair surrounding a pair of big blue eyes, rosy lips, and creamy skin.

"The Ashes will only work because I want them to work. They are the remains of my physical body." Again, the woman laughed, "Allow me to introduce myself – Andraste, bride of the Maker."


	16. Chapter 17

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So little miss ray of sunshine, or as Alistair called her the boogity boo, cloaky, scary spirit person has revealed herself. I know you clever readers probably figured it out, so no real surprise, I know. If you didn't, then maybe I am not doing so bad at the story telling. But I enjoy springing things on my characters who don't know what we know, yes?_

_I hope you continue to enjoy. Please do let me know what you think. :)_

_Blessings!_

The room just fell silent as everyone stared at Andraste, or at least the spirit calling itself "Andraste," as they had at Kai just a moment before. Kai just snorted. "Figures." She tilted her head. "Again, why would Lady Isolde do this?"

"Why do you keep asking her that?" Alistair asked her.

Kai felt herself flushing. "Maybe because I slapped her when she insulted you? Twice." Kai looked up through her lashes at Alistair, not exactly ready to see what his expression was going to be. He could be so sensitive about these kinds of things. He always forgave and moved on. It was one of his most enduring and annoying qualities.

He just sat down next to her and took her face in his hands. "You slapped her for me?"

"Twice." Kai looked him in the eye. "It was before the funeral." Kai struggled not to squirm. "I told Eamon about the amulet. He kind of got upset in a cared-for-you, not an upset-I-gave-it-to-you, sort of way. It put her knickers in a twist, and she was talking badly about you, even after all we did for her, and I just snapped. I was under a lot of emotional distress!" Kai could hear the defensiveness in her voice.

Alastair just smiled, laughed and kissed her. "Twice. Well, at least you made her cheeks match. You did, right? It wasn't all on one side?"

Kai just smiled, "No, I made her match." And she sank her head onto his shoulder.

"I always did find her to be self-centered and a bit stupid." Kai heard her mother retort.

"Mother!" Kai just laughed. "My question remains unanswered, spir...Andraste. Why would she help me?"

"Let us just say that Lady Isolde may not be the brightest lantern in the dark." Kai snorted back a laugh. "But, you removed the scales from her eyes, so to speak. You showed her who she was and it came up wanting. She has a need to make amends. She really is a pious woman, in her way." Andraste smiled down at Kai.

"Great, so how do we get me back to there, myself, my body? This is so strange," Kai grumbled. She felt so solid, so real here, and the more she was here, wherever "here" was in the Fade, the more the "real" world felt like a dream.

"Perhaps I should speak to her as she prays then? And soon, no?" Andraste seemed to read Kai's thoughts yet again.

"Yes, because the longer I am here, the less I want to go. Let's do this. Do I just sit here on the couch or what?" Kai found herself gripping Alistair's hand so tightly, her knuckles were white.

"The Ashes are already being brought out. You need only to go back the way you came," Andraste smiled at her.

"Great, I have to go for a swim again?" Kai forced herself to stand. "Then, I need to go now." She held Alistair's hand as if it were a lifeline as they walked out of Highever back to the lake. Part of her was screaming that she was insane, going back, leaving them all again, but she ignored it.

"Good bye, darling, I love you so much. But do try and watch your language," her mother jokingly nagged at her before hugging her.

"No father could be prouder. You are my fierce girl." Her father pulled one of her braids and kissed her cheek.

"Help Fergus find love again, sister dear. Life is too empty without someone. Tell him we will be waiting for him." Oriana hugged her tight.

Cailan just brushed her knuckles with his lips, "Dear lady."

"I knew I chose well with you, Kai. You are the best of us. And if I may, like your father I too am proud and honored to have known you, dear girl." Duncan's deep voice became slightly choked toward the end. Kai found her own eyes filled with unshed tears.

"I am only as good as the man who chose me," she told him as she hugged him tightly and he hugged her back.

Maric simply held her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. "Remember, there is no 'perfect,' and that most of the time we do what we have to, and some of the time we get to do what we want." He smiled at her. "I know you will do very well. Do you know how I know that?" he asked her as he held her chin looking her in the eyes. Kai shook her head. "Because it isn't just the quality of one's enemies that defines a person. It is also the quality of their friends. And you have many good friends. I only hope I am still counted among them." He looked at her hopefully.

"Of that, ser, let there never be any doubt." And she kissed him on the cheek and hugged him.

She turned to Alistair. Her throat constricted, and her heart hurt. She didn't have any words. She was going back into a plane of existence where she would not be able to touch him or see him smile. He smiled his lopsided smile at her and simply wrapped her in his arms and kissed her the way he had on top of Fort Drakon, their souls mingling together. It was she who stepped back this time, running her fingers down his face. She didn't even bother to try to stop the tears.

"Do not worry. While time will be normal for you and time will seem to drag on at certain points in your life, it will not be an eternity until you get to see them again. For them, no time will really have passed. They will not have long to miss you. Only Alistair will have a sense of time for both places," Andraste whispered in her ear as she hugged her close and released her. "I, too, am proud of you, my spirit daughter." Andraste smiled at her with genuine affection.

Kai began walking backwards into the water keeping her eyes on Alistair's face, her anchor. As the water splashed around her thighs and her waist, she looked at all their beloved faces. "Tell Oren his Auntie will be back in no time, OK?" They all nodded, tears running down many pairs of cheeks. The water got up to her chest and her shoulders and then her neck. Before she dunked her head under, she wanted one last look, even if her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand.

And then, she plunged under. The water was so dark, and it was thick, and she had a momentary sense of panic. Could you die again in the Fade, and if you did where, you go then? Her lungs felt as if they were going to burst and then she hit the "surface" gasping and choking on air. Leaving the Fade was not so pleasant as going to it.

Her eyes flew open to find a roomful of anxious faces, all in various degrees of exhaustion, tears, or stoicism, depending on whom you were looking at.

"Hullo, everyone." Or at least that is what she thought she said before she found herself unceremoniously plucked from the bed and crushed in her brother's arms.


	17. Chapter 18

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So, back to the real world and all it's pitfalls. Oh, and a bunch of loving friends who have nursed our beloved Kai through yet another coma. What will they have to say this time?_

_Thanks so much for staying with me. Your reviews have just made my telling of this story so much more enjoyable. Thank you, and please those who haven't reviewed please do. I love to know what you think._

_Blessings! : )_

Kai wanted to comfort her brother; she made a vain attempt to pat him on the back, but her skin felt like the thinnest of silks and if it tore, her spirit would just go back to the Fade. And she was _not_ about to try and come back a second time. Fergus leaned her gently back, still grasping her by the arms and holding her upright so he could look at her.

"Okay, new rule everyone." Her voice sounded like a whisper, she cleared her throat. "No more letting the Warden go into a coma. No going unconsciousness unless it's sleep related. M'k? Everyone got that?" She smiled at them

"Hah, you stop by for a short visit, and I am a bad influence," Alistair's beloved voice sounded in her ear. Relief washed over her. Fergus looked furious, and she thought he was about to shake her, but he simply laid her back on the pillows Zev had been piling behind her so she could sit up. Fergus had tears in his eyes and looked caught between fury and relief.

"Hmm, your joke seems to have gone over as well as mine used to." _Used to, you mean usually, right?_ "Hey-y." She did a mental smile.

Then it struck her, Wynne. "Is Wynne all right?" She tried to raise herself up but was gently pushed back onto the pillows by Zev. Not that it took much. He could have used his pinky to get the job done.

"My dear Gray Warden, Wynne is fine." She went to get more broth, as it seems that is what you like to eat, since you seem to keep going into comas." Zev smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I do wish it would cease this obsessive need to be unconscious for days as I am always the one who gets put on guard duty," Shale growled from her corner. "One would think that _it_ would understand I spent quite enough time standing in one place to last even a golem's lifetime. One would also think it is part pigeon the way it likes to toy with me."

"Sorry Shale, I will try to do better, really," Kai mumbled, her face flushing.

"Huh!" Shale growled.

"Kadan" was all that Sten had to say, which was almost worse than having Shale rant at her, as his tone implied anger tinged concern. And fear? Fear for her? _Oh, my._

Leliana just wiped her very swollen and red eyes with what looked like a very wet handkerchief and came over and planted a kiss on her forehead. "Oh, I am so happy, I am going to tell Wynne!" And she left the room almost skipping.

Argus jumped up on the other side of the bed and barked at her before lying down and shoving his nose under her hand. She obliged by rubbing his head. "So, how long this time?" Kai asked.

"Almost two weeks this time, little sister." Fergus looked down at the covers, trying to get control of himself. Kai reached out and grabbed his hand. She just squeezed it while he sobbed and choked out her name.

"You could slap me if you want." She jiggled his hand.

Fergus wiped his eyes and obliged her with a little choked laugh. "I wish I could, but Wynne would have my head on a pike, sister dear." Fergus leaned down and kissed her hand and put his other hand over hers.

The door suddenly swung open as if a great wind had blown through, and Wynn practically ran through the opening and right to her bedside. Kai just stared at her. "Feeling your oats Wynne?" Kai's laugh was cut off when Wynne scooped her up and hugged her so tightly she couldn't breathe. When Wynne finally released her, she stepped back and put a hand on Fergus's shoulder. Fergus hadn't let go of her hand through that entire exchange, and he continued to stroke it as if she might disappear. Apparently, she had been giving people that impression lately.

Kai felt guilty for all the fuss she seemed to be causing everyone. "I am so sorry, everyone, really." Kai felt tears forming in her eyes, and she chose to focus on hers and Fergus's linked hands.

Zev just brushed her hair back from her forehead. "My dear Warden, it was not entirely your fault. You were poisoned after all."

"Hey, where is my food?" she joked at Wynne, giving her a pointed look and a sly smile.

"Watch it, young lady, or I will turn you into a frog," Wynn retorted back. But, she was smiling with her eyes bright. "Leli is bringing it. When she told me you were finally awake, I handed her the tray and sent her back to the kitchen to get bread to go with the broth. We get to start all over again with you, young lady. It seems you like keeping us on our toes."

Kai realized that they were missing a dwarf. "Hey, where's Oghren?"

"Ah, the dwarf has been drunk ever since you took ill," Sten explained. "I shall go and fetch him. Though whether or not he is sober enough to understand when I tell him you are awake remains to be seen, Kadan." Sten simply touched her face and turned to leave, almost running into Leliana with the tray causing Leli to giggle and Sten to growl. Touching her face was the equivalent of Wynne's tight, rib cracking hug. _Wow, I really must have frightened them very badly._ It was hard to feel any concern for that in the Fade. Now, she felt terribly guilty.

Leliana set the tray down on Kai's lap and put a napkin across her chest. "Do you think you have enough energy to eat on your own?"

"I think I can manage, thanks," she smiled at the pretty bard. "I am so sorry to have made you worry, Leli." Leliana only smiled at her and made shushing motions with her hands.

"I think the rest of you should all go get some sleep, and Shale can stretch her legs." I will stay with her since I was next on the "Kai rotation." Wynne looked at Leli and patted the bard's cheek.

"Okay, but wake me if she needs anything, promise?" Leliana kissed Kai's forehead again and turned and left.

"I am glad it is awake." Shale touched the bed and smiled – well, it was as close as her stone features would allow – and walked out, her steps shaking the floor.

"I am not going, I can't. I just need to stay." Fergus just continued to hold her hand in both of his.

Wynne shrugged at him. "You and Zev are exhausted, but you have to make up your own minds." Wynne's look encompassed both of the men still sitting in the room with the look of a mother facing two stubborn children.

She sighed and brought over another chair. Kai noticed that there seemed to be quite a large grouping of chairs. "Sorry, Argus old boy, I need this hand." She patted him once before picking up the horn spoon next to the bowl. Argus gave a soft woof of approval before laying his head back down on the bed. _This is familiar,_ Kai thought as she soaked bread and spooned up broth. But she got full faster than before and set the spoon down next to the bowl. "Maybe I can eat more later?" Kai looked at Wynne, who took the tray and removed the napkin, setting them both on a table in the corner. "Where are we? This isn't the castle at Denerim." Kai took a good look around the room, it wasn't at Highever either.

"Ban Teagan's home, for now," Zev said. "Though that might have to change so Anora doesn't find out the truth."

"So Anora doesn't find out what, Zev?" Kai asked him.

"That you are alive."


	18. Chapter 19

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Thank you all for your feedback! It really means a lot to me. Blessings!_

"Perhaps we should go back to when you remember, before you decided on another feat of daring-do by sleeping for days. And then we can go from there, no?" Zev offered.

"Yes, that would probably be a very good idea," Kai smiled at him. "The last thing I remember is giving a speech and then almost pitching face forward. Oh, and you were trying to get me naked and take advantage of me in public." Kai grinned. Zev didn't smile in return, but instead gripped her arms with both of his hands, squeezing gently. _Oh boy, it must have looked really bad from their point of view._ Kai flushed again with guilt.

They took turns telling her what happened. When she had touched Zev, he had suspected poison was at work, but Kai had been called forward to Anora's side. It was then he had left the hall to go to their quarters. Fergus, who also had suspected something, followed Zev.

"I suspected that a poison called 'The Burning Heart' had been used. It is a thick concoction and takes time to move into and through the blood. Anora wanted that particular poison because it can cause violent behavior in its victims. She probably hoped you would do something to disgrace yourself, thus ruining your reputation or giving her reason to have her guards kill you outright, or both. Such events would have been bonuses to Anora." Zev's voice got raspy and he looked away from her.

"He climbed the ivy on the castle wall like a monkey; it was amazing," Fergus broke in, grinning at the elf, giving Zev time to collect himself.

"Amazing he didn't break his neck," Wynne retorted.

"My dear Wynne, I was a Crow; we are the best," Zev smiled at her. "I was going after my antidotes," Zev explained. "From the heat of your hand and your behavior, I didn't think we had much time," Zev's voice caught, and he cleared it.

"'The Burning Heart?'" Kai snorted. "More like the burning everything. I thought I was on fire on the inside." Kai's free hand flew to her still flat belly. "Maker, Wynne?"

Wynne only looked at her in surprise. "The babe is fine, the poison did not reach it, and I used..."

"Your spirit helper? Oh Wynne, you need to be careful." Kai felt fear for her friend.

"I need to be careful? Young lady, I am not the one who got poisoned." Wynne's face started to crumple, but she breathed deeply and set it to neutral again. "I did not know you knew. That was what I wanted to discuss with you after the coronation."

"I learned of it in the...the Fade. Let's just say a little birdie told me," Kai looked down.

"A creepy little birdie," came Alistair's retort, which cause her lips to quirk slightly.

She hoped they wouldn't ask questions about her knowledge. Not yet, she wasn't ready. Perhaps sensing this, they let the statement go unremarked. "How did you know, Wynne? I didn't have a clue myself. Since the Joining as a Warden and since I tend to be athletic..."

"And far too thin, especially recently," broke in Wynne with a mother's reproachful tone of voice.

"My cycles have not exactly been regular," Kai finished. "So, how did you know?"

"After Fort Drakon, when you were, unconscious..." Kai reached out as a huge wave of guilt swamped her. "No, child, don't be sorry. I forgave you already, remember?" Wynne smiled at her and gave her hand a tug before releasing it. "I was going to heal you. But, I didn't have a lot of mana left, and I was recharging and using potions. I needed help. Anora offered the help of the mage assigned to the castle; Mordyth, I think his name was. He was doing a magical diagnostic of sorts so that we could tell how far your injuries went. He is the one who discovered it. The pregnancy was in such an early stage you wouldn't have had any signs. We only caught it because we were performing a detailed inspection. He must have told Anora."

"Well, that explains her cryptic remark at the funeral then." Kai patted Argus absently. "So, what happened after you climbed the castle. You must have retrieved the antidote, I remember you making me drink something. It tasted awful, but it helped."

Zev told how he had tossed down the bag containing the antidotes to Fergus so he could climb down quickly. How they had both raced back to the hall to find that she had gone out to the balcony. How they had all opened the doors to find her about to fall face forward. It had been Zev's quick hands that had saved her yet again from breaking her nose. How Zev had poured his antidote down her throat praying that they were in time. "But you were dying, and we could tell it. Your cheeks were so red, and then they were pale as snow and your breathing got shallow, and you wouldn't respond when we called to you," Fergus's voice broke, and he started sobbing in earnest as he bent his face over their linked hands, his tears wetting them.

Kai just stroked his head with her free hand as tears slid down her own cheeks. "Oh Fergus, I am so sorry..."

"It is that bitch who should be sorry!" Wynne's voice burst out.

"Wynne!" Kai gasped, never having heard Wynne use any exclamation stronger than "horse feathers." She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing, which caused both Fergus and Zevran to join in. It was a tension reliever sorely needed.

Wynne continued nonplussed, "I was trying to use healing magic, but I could feel you, your soul, slipping away into the Fade. So my spirit helper latched on before you slipped through entirely." Wynne just patted Fergus on the back. "But you still looked like death."

Well, that confirmed what Andraste had said. "Gee, thanks a lot," Kai grinned. "I take it that is how you passed me off to Anora as dead, though?"

"That, and I tracked down our little assassin." Zev's face had gone very hard and very cold. "It seems Anora was not willing to pay for the best. She was not a Crow, for which we should be grateful. But I do have a contract signed by Anora and a letter with instructions for your demise. Anora wanted it to be as painful as possible, as well as making you sully your reputation in public, if she could get it. The assassin confessed all to me and gave me the evidence."

Kai looked at him; his face was unreadable. It was his assassin's face. He knew she did not approve of torture, though Zev had other pleasant, though no less deadly means of getting information. _Don't ask, don't tell,_ Kai figured. Zev wasn't about to be penitent about whatever happened, since he no doubt felt it was justified. Maric was right, she had very loving and loyal friends. How did she get so lucky?

"I gave her the same poison she gave you. Then, I hid the body and came up with a plan." Zev reached up and stroked her cheek briefly.

"When we carried you back through the hall, you looked dead. We did not realize that taking you through the hall past witnesses would be an advantage at the time. We were just trying to get you to your room," Fergus broke in. "But when Zev came back after tracking that killer down, it worked with his plan perfectly."

"We used the dead assassin as a substitute for you," Wynne put in.

"You used the assassin as a...a body double?" Kai felt her eyebrows shooting up her forehead. "And that worked?"

"We cut her hair. Luckily, it was almost same color as yours. We dressed her in your clothes and laid her in your bed. Then, we smuggled you out of the castle," Zevran went on. "Apparently, Anora is a little squeamish about seeing the results of her handiwork. She looked at the body briefly from the bedroom door when we spread news of your demise. Anora had a chamberlain confirm the body on the bed indeed had no pulse."

"Then, she made a big show of announcing your 'death' to the people of Ferelden with tears falling down her cheeks and vowed to find and bring to justice the person or persons responsible. Little viper," Fergus put in.

The door to the bedroom suddenly blew back on its hinges a second time, startling them all. Oghren strode in, actually "staggered" would be more appropriate. He smelled as if he had fallen into a barrel of beer. He just walked up to the side of the bed and put his face in Kai's, looking into her eyes as if to make sure that she was indeed awake.

"Hey, Oghren," Kai greeted him, not sure what else to say as he continued to squint at her.

"He is probably squinting, my love, because in his inebriated state, he sees six of you," Alistair's voice was tinged with amusement.

"Warden," Oghren grumbled before he swayed back and forth and passed out.


	19. Chapter 20

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Tomorrow is my birthday and friends are taking me out to lunch, so I may not have a chapter out like I usually do. : )_

_And I am struggling a little with writer's block. I know where I want to go, just not sure how to get there. So, I hope you will bear with me while I figure it out and hopefully still keep you entertained._

_Thank you all for your feedback and support. I must admit I get a little nervous writing sometimes. Your encouragement so uplifting and keeps the muse going, so big virtual hugs. : )_

_So, if you are alive and your enemy thinks you are dead, what trouble can you cause?_

Fergus and Zev each grabbed one of Oghren's arms and half carried, half drug the heavy drunken dwarf to his room, promising to make sure he would be all right. Kai still felt badly for causing them all such misery and worry. Oghren hadn't been that drunk in a long time, and it was due to her letting her guard down.

Wynne had pulled all the pillows from behind her back and gently laid her down, tucking the blankets around her and kissing her forehead. "Sleep. You will have a big day tomorrow. Teagan and Eamon will want to see you, and we will need to make plans." Argus got down off the bed to sleep by Wynne's feet.

Wynne sat down in the chair Zev had occupied and pulled out some small needles and fine yarn. As Kai felt her lids starting to droop into sleep, she realized that Wynne was knitting a little bootie while humming under her breath.

When Kai awoke the next morning, the chair that had held Wynne was empty. And when she turned over, it was to find Zev, wrapped in a blanket, asleep on top of the covers next to her. She figured that he would be shadowing her even more closely now.

His face was relaxed and as peaceful as she had ever seen it. The mask of control that he wore, even when joking and lighthearted, was gone. Kai wished that he could have that peace more often, his life had been so hard. The Crows had not beaten or tortured the little boy out of him completely. Almost as if he knew she was thinking about him, his pale eyes flew open and stared into hers. The mask was automatic and settled like a second skin. "Good morning, Zev," she smiled at him. "I trust you, you know. You could sleep under the covers."

"My dear Gray Warden, your trust in me has always been misplaced, or have you not learned this by now?" He gave a slight smile, but she sensed he was only half joking. Kai gave him a puzzled look and reached out to tug his earlobe playfully, hoping he would explain. He simply caught her hand in his and set it down on the bed before releasing it to untangle himself from his blanket and rise.

Kai felt her cheeks flushing and found herself feeling stung and a little embarrassed. It was as if she had propositioned him and he had rejected her. He was angry with her, not that she really blamed him. The poisoning was her own stupid fault for not keeping her senses on the alert. She had let her nervousness about meeting Wynne cloud her thoughts. She hadn't been as wary as she should have been. Had she been, she might have been more suspicious of the servant's sudden illness and her replacement. She felt herself sighing and biting her lower lip. She didn't know how she was going to make it up to all of them. She supposed one way might be to survive and not get knocked out again.

She grunted and rolled over the other way, throwing back the covers and attempting to stand. The world tilted and spun, another familiar feeling. She really needed to stop getting herself into situations where she was out of it for days or weeks.

Zev caught her and angrily gave her a little shake. "What is it you think you are doing, my dear Warden?" His tone was even and cool, as if he wanted to yell at her and was keeping control, barely. Kai felt her eyes tearing up of their own volition, and her lip wanted to tremble. What was the matter with her? She seemed to be so raw emotionally and not like herself at all.

Suddenly, she found herself crushed in his arms as he whispered her name over and over again. He leaned her away from him with another little shake and laid her back in bed, piling pillows behind her and pulling the covers over her lap. When he sat down and finally looked at her, she saw tears in the corners of his eyes. She touched his shoulder this time, and he did not push her hand away. "I am so sorry, Zev, I know it was my fault. I should have been more wary, less trusting. I knew Anora was clever, but not that sneaky. I..."

His cynical laugh interrupted her babbling. He grabbed her hand and held it under his chin for a moment. "I should be asking your forgiveness, my friend. I am the assassin. I should have been there to watch for such things. I know too well the art of death, and the people who employ it. It is I who should have seen what was happening and either stopped it or gotten the antidote more quickly." He put his head down on the bed, his forehead resting on her hand. "It is because I was not where I should have been that I almost lost my only true friend."

_Well, aren't we just a pair?_ Both taking the weight of the world onto their shoulders, and all the guilt of their decisions. The should haves and the could haves. Kai was struck by how alike they were. She had become what she hated to save what she loved. Zev, poor Zev, hadn't even had that luxury. He had become what he hated, no matter how much he said he liked being an assassin, because he had been forced to do so. Just to survive. Neither of them had had a choice. Suddenly, part of her wanted to find and kill the person who sold him into slavery to the Crows, if they weren't dead already.

She started to ball up a fist in anger, but instead made herself place it on his head in comfort. She decided to take his usual tack, humor, "Let's face it. You just wanted to see me in my small clothes while they dressed me like a doll, and you are sorry you missed it." And she was glad when he played along, even if it was obvious that he was still upset.

"Si, I love seeing beautiful women get dressed. It can be as enticing as watching one get undressed. They have this place in Antiva City where the women start off with tassels and..." Kai put a finger on his lips and stopped him.

"You are incorrigible." He kissed her fingertip, but she could tell his heart wasn't in their usual friendly flirting. A part of her hurt for him, but she knew he would have to work through it himself.

"I am going to go get Teagan and Eamon. They wanted to speak to you when you woke up." Zev turned to go.

"You mean _if _the Ashes of Andraste worked?" Kai asked him.

"You know about that?" He turned to her with a surprised look on his face.

"Remind me to tell you about the Fade sometime," she smiled at him. "So, would you fetch Lady Isolde, too? I owe her my thanks." Zev just nodded and left the room.

Kai touched her flat stomach. She was still having trouble getting used to the idea of being pregnant. A mother, her. She was suddenly attacked by panic. What if she was horrible at it? What if she messed it up? She couldn't even keep herself out of trouble, how was she supposed to raise a child? Added to that, she was going to have to do it without Alistair here? Her heart wanted to claw its way out of her throat.

"Well not completely without me, love, calm down," Alistair's voice sounded in her ear.

"Wondering how you can be a mother?" Wynne's amused voice asked her. Kai jumped. She hadn't heard her come in.

"I think there has been a big mistake, Wynne, I can't do this," Kai gulped big snatches of air.

Wynne just placed the tray she had brought on Kai's lap and stroked her hair. "Ah, I'm afraid it's a little late for that. You can't send it back to the shop," Wynne laughed.

Kai found herself crying again. "What is wrong with me? Is it my coming back from the Fade? I can't seem to keep my emotions steady. I cry or get really mad or both. I thought it was grief at Alistair's death, but it isn't just that. I feel so raw; I don't feel like myself!"

Wynne only smiled and handed her a napkin to wipe her eyes and nose with. "My dear, you aren't yourself, you are going to be a mother. And I am afraid this is all part of it. The body goes through many changes, and those changes have been happening whether you were awake for them or not. You know, it isn't like the Chantry tells you." Wynne continued to smile as she poured Kai a cup of water.

"I don't just dream of my baby, and the good Fade spirits don't put it in my arms?" Kai laughed, remembering when Wynne had made Alistair blush and get flustered with that "where babies really come from" conversation.

"That is because you and Wynne are both evil people," he spoke in her ear. She could hear the smile in his voice.

She felt marginally better. Well, at least she wasn't going crazy. It didn't change how easily she felt like crying, but it was a small relief to know why. She had never had the chance to talk to her mother about pregnancy or babies. It was good she had Wynne who could tell her these things. She still did a mental squirm when she thought "pregnancy." OK, she really needed to stop now, or the panic would come back.

There was a knock at the door, and Wynne answered it while Kai looked at the tray. It had a thinned stew and a piece of toasted bread with cheese on it. She took her spoon and began to eat.

Teagan came in the door first and sat in the chair closest to her head, taking her hand and brushing it with his lips, "Dear lady, you frightened us." The "yet again" was implied in his tone and had Kai blushing as she set down the spoon.

Isolde had followed Teagan with Eamon coming behind. "Lady Isolde, I am told I owe you my gratitude and my thanks. It was your thinking of the Ashes of Andraste that saved me. I can't thank you enough." Kai felt herself blushing harder. She held out a hand to Isolde and was pleased to find that she received the woman's hand in her own.

Isolde bent down and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "I am so sorry about what I said. You were right; he was a better person than I am, and I can never make up for what I did."

"You did make up for it and more by saving me and his child, Isolde. And I will never forget that. Thank you." Kai kissed the cheek she had slapped once. _My, how we travel in circles._

Eamon smiled at her and grazed her knuckles with his lips after Isolde sat down. "I am so glad to see you awake," he smiled at her. As if anticipating her next question, Eamon took some papers from the inside of his shirt and handed them to Kai. They were the letter and the contract signed by Anora arranging her death. Kai skimmed them.

"These will not be enough to get Anora off the throne, will they?" Kai sighed.

"I am afraid not, Warden. We need the 'why' she would want you dead. And we have some months to go before that proof arrives, yes?" Eamon gestured towards her. They all smiled at her.

"May I say congratulations, dear lady?" Teagan gave her hand a friendly tug.

"Well, I guess you are all aware that we don't have to go searching far and wide for another Theirin after all." Kai just laid a hand on her belly and smiled.


	20. Chapter 21

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Hello everyone. Sorry about the delay in chapter due to my birthday. But thanks for all the birthday wishes too! I am really blessed with wonderful fans. And that I have fans at all is the best birthday present, which includes writing for you all! : ) Thanks for all your support!_

_So on with the show, join Kai four months after her second Rip Van Winkle impression. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai stayed ducked behind the crenelation of the wall overlooking the Alienage in Denerim with her Dalish longbow across her knees. Leliana, with her own longbow, was crouched further down and to her left, and Wynne was to her right. Shianni, the spunky young elf and new elder who had helped them in a battle against the archdemon's general, was sitting next to Wynne. Eamon's and Teagan's archers fanned out to either side of her along with the elven citizens who knew how to use a bow of any kind. The stone was cool despite its being the dog days of Summer when even the nights stayed muggy and hot after the sun had gone down.

Kai was stifling in a light cloak with the hood pulled up, which she was wearing over her leathers. As she was "dead," she really couldn't afford for anyone to see her; she was a little too solid to be a ghost. Somewhere down below, hidden amongst the houses of the Alienage, were more of Eamon's and Teagan's men along with Zev, Sten, Shale, Oghren and Argus as well as more of the elves fit and willing to fight. Some of the elves were armed with weapons compliments of Eamon and Teagan. Others were armed with whatever weapons they could make out of garden tools, kitchen implements, pieces of buildings, even rocks. What ever might gouge, stab or bludgeon.

Thanks to Zev and his assassin skills, which included spying, not just killing, he had obtained information that Anora was sending an armed contingent into the Alienage on this night to "quell a rebellion against humans" brought on by the food shortage and the ill treatment the elves had received for years. Except, there was no uprising. The elves were hungry, but they were not starting a rebellion. At least they weren't until Kai and her group had talked to the hahren, the elder Shianni, and told her of Anora's plans. Those plans included using the excuse of a rebellion to sell the elves into slavery to the Tevinters just as her father, Loghain, had done. But unlike her father, Anora was more clever. A rebellion would give Anora the reason she needed to make slavery more palatable for the nobles and the people of Ferelden, plus give Anora an income. This income was not to be used helping the Ferelden people rebuild, mind you, but to continue the construction of a monument to her father, the regicide, who had almost sacrificed Ferelden to the Blight. Kai shook her head in disgust.

Eamon, Teagan and her group of friends had protested strongly when she insisted she was coming. _ I don't blame them,_ she thought, as she rested a hand on the small swelling of her belly beneath her tightening leathers. It fluttered as though in response to her touch. But, she had convinced them that she would stay cloaked and at a distance firing arrows from cover, not wielding her blades in close combat. That, coupled with Wynne at her side in case of any injury, had finally convinced them. Well, it was that or they would have had to truss her like a pig and lock her in a closet. Still, she was here. Kai allowed a small smile to play on her lips.

"You can be the most pig headed, stubborn person in all of Ferelden," Alistair's exasperated voice sounded in her ear. _I prefer "implacable," it sounds classier,_ she thought into her own head, to which she got a deep sigh in response. She gave a mental smile. _What am I supposed to do, sit around the various castles and safe houses we move to, eating sticky buns and getting fat?_ His only reply was a grumble. She laughed into her own skull and called him a worry wart.

Her internal conversation with Alistair was broken off by the sounds of the back gate to the Alienage being opened. Kai had anticipated Anora's men would lock the gate leading to the long narrow bridge which had still not been repaired since the battle with the archdemon. The elves had done a makeshift repair with boards which created a wobbley but serviceable shortcut to the gate to the marketplace, but the soldiers would not want any elves to escape, so that gate would be locked. Furthermore, no large number of heavily armored soldiers was willing to cross tottering boards, which had left them only one gate to come in by.

The plan was to have the Alienage look as normal as possible. Lanterns glowed, candles shone in windows. Some of the citizens, those who were too old or feeble to fight or those whose weapons were everyday items, stood around in various places to make it look as though it was a night like any other. Those too young or unable to fight were hidden in safety.

Everything was designed to lull the soldiers into thinking the elves were unaware. The soldiers were to be allowed to come in until the last man was behind the gate, and one of Eamon's men disguised as a dirty drunken beggar would wait outside to close and lock the gate, cutting off the soldiers' escape route. Kai and those on the wall would rain down arrows on the armored men, which would mostly be a distraction, as the arrows would more than likely be stopped by their armor. However, this would give those below a chance to take most of them down, they hoped with minimum of casualties for their side.

Kai allowed herself a furtive look down below and watched as the armor clad men walked into the Alienage, their metallic footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Kai signed with her hand for the archers to nock their bows. When she heard the gate close behind the soldiers with a loud clank, she stood up and took careful aim, letting her arrow fly and lodging it in her target's throat between his helmet and his breastplate. He gurgled and went down. Before the man even finished falling, she was nocking her second arrow and looking for another target.

As with anytime she was in battle, Kai's senses became acute and her adrenaline sang in her veins. As master archers, Kai and Leli would actually be aiming for openings to incapacitate or kill. Others who were not as skilled were told to fire at the soldiers and try not to hit their own. She put another arrow though an eye socket as one man looked up to see where the arrows were coming from. He went down like a sack of beans. Part of her brain was horrified that she was killing other living human beings, but she had learned to tune it out. Later, she would probably empty her stomach in disgust, but right now she focused on her task.

It was then that she saw a soldier she recognized, Sergeant Kylon. He was the poor man who had been stuck with all the nobles' bastards to keep the peace in the marketplace. She and her group had done some work for him. He was a kind and honorable man who had spread the word that the Wardens were to be trusted.

"HOLD!" Kai yelled down into the fracas. "HOLD!" But she could not yell loudly enough. "Wynne, I need to get their attention, think you can help?" Kai raised an eyebrow at the mage. Wynne just nodded and began to cast an earthquake spell, aiming it at the middle of the crowd of fighting men and women below. There was a deep rumble as the earth trembled beneath the seething mass of people. The ground rippled like water in a pond when a pebble has been dropped into it, causing friend and foe alike to concentrate on standing rather than fighting as some people began to fall.

When the trembling stopped, Kai had her fellow archers quickly move the long ladder they had used to get to their perch into position against the wall so she could climb back down into the square. "Leli, cover me," Kai told the bard as she began to climb down hand over hand.

Kai reached the ground, strode to Sergeant Kylon and helped him to his feet. "Please tell your men to hold, ser. I think you and I have much to discuss and I would like to stop the bloodshed." Kylon looked at her as if she had gone mad, and she realized he didn't recognize her due to her hooded cloak.

"Why should I do that?" Kylon continued to look at her as if she were a snake about to strike.

"Because you know my intentions are honorable, as you know me." Kai lifted her hood away to let him see her face. Kylon's eyes got wide, and he smiled and grasped Kai's outstretched forearm in friendship as she gripped his.

"By Andraste's knickers, I believe I do, good lady!" He turned to his men and gave the order to stand down. "We were told you were murdered by persons unknown."

"As you can see, news of my demise has been greatly exaggerated. Kylon, by the Maker, why are you helping the pretty little viper against innocents?"

"Because those who don't do what she says have their families disappear, or they themselves disappear if they have no families to be threatened," Kylon looked down, abashed.

"So I had heard, but I did not have confirmation until now. It has gotten as bad as that?"

"Yes, Warden. The disappearances are subtle. She hides her true face from the people, and so far they are fooled." Kylon looked at her with a guilt shining in his eyes. "We haven't had much of a choice."

"Kylon, you cowardly fool! How dare you give the order to stand down. I am in charge here! And why do you tell this, this traitor, such lies?" a high pitched male voice shrilled from behind Kai. She turned to find a thin man with a face like a ferret. His hair was slicked back, and he had a mustache with the ends waxed in the Orlesian fashion. His armor was expensive and well made and had Anora's coat of arms on it. _Ah, a sycophant then._

"This is no traitor, she is the Hero of Ferelden. You are not worthy to lick her shoes, Wadeth! And I only tell her the truth," Kylon snarled back.

"The truth is that Queen Anora has power, and she has the right to use it and to give it to those she favors. The Hero of Ferelden is dead, all two of them, or they are supposed to be. This little guttersnipe is a traitor to our queen. I will personally find it a pleasure to run her through and make her death a reality. I wonder what kind of favors Anora will give me when I present your head to her, little bitch?"

Wadeth's last words barely passed his lips before his eyes widened in shock and a cough brought blood to his lips as he fell forward. His body landed with a dull thud on the ground, the dirt turning into mud as his blood soaked into it.

Zev stood calmly where Wadeth had been, wiping off a dagger. "Ah, that was the wrong thing to say," he murmured.

Kai turned back to Kylon, motioning for Eamon and Teagan to join her. "Wynne, keep an eye on things, use whatever spells you think you need. Archers, stay alert!" Kai shouted up to figures on the wall. She took Eamon, Teagan and Kylon inside one of the houses and closed the door. She turned and leaned against it trying to look casual as she faced the men in the room. Both Eamon and Teagan were furious with her for exposing herself, but were hiding it behind neutral masks. She could still feel the disapproval rolling off of them in waves.

"Truth be told, my _love_, I am not happy with you either," Alistair's angry voice said into her ear. She made mental shushing noises.

"Arl Eamon and Ban Teagan, may I introduce Ser Kylon?" she motioned toward the two men. "Ser Kylon, Arl Eamon and Ban Teagan. Now that the introductions are out of the way, may I propose a plan?"

"I certainly hope you have a plan, dear lady, or any one of those men you exposed yourself to will tell Anora you are alive and well," Teagan's voice broke in fear for her.

Kai made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Kylon, you say your men and their families are threatened. Well, then I propose we give them an out. How many of the men are loyal to you, and what number were that little dead weasel's flotsam?"

"That is easy my lady. All but four of the men out there hated that worthless piece of trash. The four I mentioned were part of his 'gang'. In fact, Gwydion in particular would kill the little maggot again if he could. Wadeth and his four supporters raped his sister, and he could do nothing to stop it." Kylon looked at her. "Why, dear lady?" Kai just put up a staying hand, opened the door and motioned to Zev.

Once Zev was inside, Kai turned back to Kylon. "I want you to describe where they are and what they look like, the four men who were _friends_ of our dear departed maggot, to Zev here. Zev let me know when you have their positions in the crowd, please." Kylon and Zev made their way to the window. Kylon stood looking out the window where he could be seen. Zev looked while staying out of view. Kylon, to his credit, acted calmly as if he were just looking out the window while talking to those inside.

Zev nodded to Kai. "Zev, get Leli, Shale, Sten, Oghren and yourself on those men. Try to do it without drawing too much attention to yourselves, if you can. And let Wynne and Shianni know what is going on." Zev smiled and slipped out the door.

Kylon turned his back to the window, "Now what, dear lady?"

"Now we give Zev and the rest a moment to get into place," she smiled grimly. It only took a few minutes. and there was a soft knock on the door. One of the elves poked her head in and gestured to Kai.

Kai walked out, and the others followed. She noted where in the crowd her people were. "Men, I understand you and your families are being threatened. I would like to offer you a way out and a way to take back Ferelden when the time comes. If you join us, we will help you get your families safely out of Denerim. You will be able to disperse among some arlings and bannorns loyal to the Theirin line. We ask you to hide your weapons and armor until we have called you."

"The Theirin line is dead!" a voice shouted out from the crowd.

Kai took a deep breath. "The Theirin line lives in me," she placed a hand on her belly for emphasis. "What is happening now should not be happening in Ferelden. Her people are hungry, nothing has been rebuilt, your families are threatened, and your honor sullied by the petulant orders of a spoiled woman. I am asking you to stand with me when the times comes. Those who feel they either can't or won't join, I give you my word on the blood of my father Bryce Cousland and by Andraste's grace that neither you nor your families be harmed." Kai watched the faces in the crowds carefully for any sign of more men, other than the four they knew of, who would not go along. It seemed Kylon still knew his men; in fact all of them save the four looked hopeful and relieved.

One young man walked up and bowed on one knee in front of her. "For killing that bastard Wadeth, I would follow you and fight demons in the Fade. You have my sword and my life, my lady."

"Your name, good ser?" Kai asked him as he started to rise.

"Gwydion, my lady."

"I am sorry to hear about your sister." Kai looked him in the eyes. Gwydion bowed his head. Kai motioned for her group members to bring the four men forward. Three of the four looked terrified and kept looking to the dark haired one who wore a feral smirk. _Ah, the second in command of the gang._ One of the men broke as if to run, though where he meant to go she had no idea since they were all locked in. He took two paces before one of Leli's arrow took him in the back. As his hand reached reflexively for it, two more followed. He fell with a sickening thump. The second man took one terrified look at his fallen fellow before stumbling only a step or two; Argus lept on him, knocking him down and ripping out his throat.

Kai looked at Gwydion. "Are these the men who abused her?" she gestured towards the two that had fallen and the two still remaining. Gwydion nodded. "Does anyone here think they are not being given proper justice?" Kai asked the crowd. There were no dissenting voices raised. In fact if anything, they looked as if they wanted to be the ones who handed out the justice themselves.

Kai turned to the one with the smirk. He had greasy black hair and stubble. He might have been considered handsome except for the cold, arrogant eyes and the scar running up from one corner of his mouth. His smirk had been replaced by fear. "I will not run, Warden. They were cowards," he growled with false bravado while fingering the sword strapped to his side.

"And you think raping a woman who was powerless to stop you is brave?" Kai asked him coldly.

"She was a toy. Why pay for it when you can have it for free? The strong take what they want." Anything else he might have said got cut off when Gwydion ran his sword through the man's belly, up to the hilt.

"She was not a toy!" He pushed the man's body off his sword with his boot.

The last man, a greasy faced fellow with thin blonde hair, stared at them with eyes that bugged from his head in fright, "Puh...Please, I..."

Kai cocked her head at him, "Please? Did she ask you to please stop? Did she beg? And did you stop? Did you try and stop them? No? I thought not. You are a disgusting coward."

"I...," whatever the man was going to say didn't get finished; Kai planted her two daggers into the man's chest up to their hilts. She turned away from him, took two steps and then spun back, yanking the daggers out. With a double-handed sweep, she sent his head flying in a fountain of blood. Before his head had even hit the ground, she turned back to the sergeant, "Kylon, get your men and get their families moving. Go to the bannorns to the north and the Terynship of Highever. Tell your men to hide their armor as they carry it with them; they are not to wear it. They should wear civilian clothes. Their families should only take the clothes and provisions they need. And one toy per child. Leave the rest. They only have a few hours before sunrise, and they need to be out of here before then. Split the men up into small groups, deciding who goes where. We don't want to arouse suspicion. They must disappear like smoke. Tell them that word will be sent to the teryn and banns so they will be expected. They will have a home," Kai nodded to him.

"Yes, Warden. May I say how grateful I am to be in your company again?" Kylon grasped her forearm in a soldier's shake once more before turning to his men. "You heard her, move out!" Kylon and his men turned toward the gate which was opened once again. One of the others must have given word to their accomplice outside.

Kai turned towards Shianni, who had come down from the wall. "We need to strip the bodies of anything useful and then get rid of them and clean up the blood. I want the Alienage to look as if nothing happened, as if the men never were here at all. Is that understood?"

Shianni just nodded, feigning innocence. "What soldiers?" she asked Kai with a feral grin.


	21. Chapter 22

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Thanks again for all your support! And thanks for your putting me on as a favorite author and your reviews. I hope you continue to enjoy. : )_

_Oh, I don't want to give away the surprise guest, but I am basing it on Mr. Gaider's books. : )_

_Sorry about the delay in this chapter too. My aunt died on my birthday yesterday and it has taken me a little to get moving. She was very sick so it was a blessing of a sort, she isn't suffering, so please don't feel bad. I just wanted you all to know why I was a little behind. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai sat with her back leaning against Alistair's muscled chest while he read aloud from a book. They were leaning up against a tree while sitting on a blanket in the grass in the garden. She could smell the scent of him, the grass and the apple blossoms. The bees hummed back and forth, and it felt so good. "You know you are going to have to help me up from the ground; I'm as big and unwieldy as a bronto." She felt rather than saw him set the book down, and the arm that he had draped around her moved so his hand could rest on her large rounded belly, caressing it. The baby moved under it in response to his touch.

"I think you look beautiful." She could feel his grin in the back of her head as he smiled into her hair.

"My belly button may never go back in at this rate. My whole body is so round so you would think I never wielded a weapon. And despite using the creams Leli and Wynne made for me, I have stretch marks because _your_ child keeps getting bigger. It also seems to take after its father and have this huge appetite."

"And?" She could feel him grinning more.

"And I am so completely happy," she laughed and leaned back so she could look at him. He bent down and kissed her lingeringly, one hand supporting her head and the other still stroking her rounded stomach. Then someone started knocking on the gate in the garden wall. She tried to ignore the sound, as Alistair's tongue was doing very enticing and arousing things to her mouth, but the knocking didn't stop. "By Andraste's flaming knickers, come in!" Kai found herself yelling out loud, and then she woke up. Kai groaned as the feelings of intense love and happiness following her from the Fade collided with reality. Her eyes teared up with an agonizing longing, and she felt her heart would break.

"Damn, just when we were getting to the good part," Alistair's voice spoke in her ear, and she couldn't help but laugh. His humor always soothed her.

She took a deep breath and realized that a servant had stuck his head into the room. "My lady? I am so sorry to wake you, but we have an unexpected visitor? And Arl Eamon and Ban Teagan asked me to fetch you? They know you need your rest, my lady, but they said it was very important?" The servant looked positively horrified at having woken her, so every statement came out as a question.

"Very well, I will get dressed and come down. Are they in the dining hall?"

"Yes, my lady! I will tell them you will be on your way." The poor man closed the door.

Kai felt a hand on her belly over the covers, Zev's hand. His face was buried in her hair as he breathed into the side of her neck. Just as she had expected after her visit to the Fade, Zev continued to shadow her closely. That is, when he wasn't training a core group of volunteers in the finer arts of spying and the ways of the assassin. Or practicing those same arts. He told her he wanted to have more feelers out and more people to protect her. It was a plan that Eamon and Teagan supported wholeheartedly for multiple reasons, the most important being to protect Kai and the last of the Theirin line.

Zev still slept on top of the covers wrapped in a blanket. Well, now a feather filled duvet due to the Winter chill, almost as if he were afraid she would take advantage of him. This thought caused her to smile. He had snuggled close, probably for warmth. Fereldan Winters were hard on people from places like Antiva. Kai remembered her sister-in-law's first Fereldan Winter and how miserable she had been. Kai wished he would just get under the covers; it would make him more comfortable. In her state, she couldn't take advantage of anyone even if she wanted to. All they would have to do is walk at a normal pace to get away from her. Her lips curved in a rueful smile. When walking, she thought she must look like a ship under sail.

Zev had come in late last night through heavy snow after a mission in Denerim. He had been gone over a week and had caused Kai to worry herself into a state thinking he had gotten caught, tortured, and/or killed. She had almost gone out the door herself to find him and had to be restrained and convinced to wait. It had only been Leli's promise that she, herself, would go after him if he didn't show after the Solstice celebration tomorrow. Fortunately, he had shown, dragging himself in with a goodly amount of snow. He had been exhausted and half frozen. He had promised to debrief them, but Kai had insisted he get warm, dry, and rested before he did.

She tried to move his hand gently without waking him, grasping his wrist and lifting his arm up so she could slide out of bed. The only problem was that her sliding out days were long gone. All the fluid grace she had as an athletic rogue had disappeared as her belly had gotten bigger and bigger. Had she said she was a bronto in her dream? More like a drunken bronto.

"You're still beautiful, for a drunken bronto," Alistair's voice teased in her ear. _Gee, thanks so much. Next time I meet you in a dream I am going to smack you._ But she said it with a mental smile.

Kai couldn't sleep on her side anymore, so she was lying on her back. In fact her lower back was killing her, and she couldn't get comfortable. Rolling over to get out of bed was not an option. She tried to scoot sideways, like a crab, gently pushing on the down filled mattress with her other arm, but she wasn't making much progress. Zev's hand grabbed her wrist and gave it a gentle tug. "You do not need to struggle so, I am awake, my dear Gray Warden." He removed his hand and used it to rub his eyes.

"I am so sorry, Zev, I was trying not to wake you."

"Are you well? Is the baby coming?" Suddenly, Zev was sitting bolt upright. Kai laughed at him. All of her friends kept watching her like hawks. If she made any kind of motion of distress, they all descended on her asking her if she were in pain, did she need anything, was the baby coming. The only two who didn't were Sten and Shale. They would just stare at her until she told them she was OK, and that didn't always convince them, sometimes they would continue to stare.

"I am fine, Zev, no labor pains." She started to tick off on her fingers, "Just a sore lower back, a constant need to use the privy, heartburn, oh and my lungs are being squeezed while the child kicks my kidneys. And I swear this infant is going to have me eat the woodwork. But no, nothing you need to worry about. Apparently, we have an important visitor and Eamon wants me there. Go back to sleep, you need it." Kai did a half roll and grunted as she tried to twist herself upwards over her expanded abdomen. She felt a hand under her upper arm pulling her forward. Nimble Zev had come to her side of the bed without making a sound. Kai looked at him with envy.

Zev laughed, "My dear Gray Warden, you will get your agility back when you longer look like a child stealing a watermelon." [[I love that image.]]

"Ugh, thank you so much," Kai gasped as he pulled her to her feet. She touched his face. "Now go back to sleep. You scared me half to death taking so long and you were half frozen. And Zev, it is too blasted cold for you to be sleeping on top of the covers. Just get under the bloody duvet from now on."

"Is that an order, my dear Warden?" he asked with a smirk.

"And if I said yes?" She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Then I would say I love to take orders from beautiful women. Do we have any rope and perhaps a whi..." she stopped him with a finger tip to his lips.

"Really, I am so pregnant I can hardly move and you are making sexual innuendos? I don't know whether I should be flattered or disturbed," Kai laughed at him.

"Disturbed, definitely disturbed," came Alistair's voice in response to her statement. _Considering what you were doing in the dream, you're just as bad, _she replied. "Hey-y, that was different." She could hear him smiling. _Uh huh, sure it was._ She laughed again.

Zev kissed her fingertip, but did not get back in bed. He pulled out a simple robe, similar to the ones worn by mages, along with some doeskin slippers for her feet and helped her get dressed. The robe was even more snug around her belly if that were possible. Any bigger and she would pop. This infant was going to have broad shoulders and a barrel chest like Alistair, of that she was certain. She had a momentary flutter of fear. How was she going to get it out of her? _Oh my, not going there, panic time._ Instead, she concentrated on Zev.

"Zev, I know you will tell everyone about your trip, but are you OK? Was everything all right? You took so long, it really frightened me." Kai watched as he pulled on pants and boots.

"The gold got distributed where it belonged. Many families will have a good Winter Solstice and a good Winter, and they know it is thanks to you. Or at least thanks to the 'Silver Griffon'. Your idea of doing as the 'Black Fox' did was inspired. It is a good thing you read so much, no?" He gave her a reassuring smile and continued, "It took so long because I was caught in a blizzard outside Lake Calenhad and had to stay at The Spoiled Princess for more days than I liked. Ceffyls are hardy but a blizzard is not good for them either." Zev tossed off his sleep shirt and put on a cotton shirt, a thick woolen shirt, and a second woolen shirt on top of that one. Kai suppressed a giggle.

"In fact, Rhia has more sense than most people, and elves apparently. She started acting strangely and would not stay on the road. Finally, I just let her go where she pleased. She bypassed the road, taking a shorter route overland to the lake. We made it to the Princess just in time." Zev smiled, "She is very clever, my Rhia; she knew the storm was coming. I think another storm is following me inward from the Waking Sea. After the snow started falling more slowly, I went out to see that she was being cared for, and she was all but breaking down the stall door. She grabbed the bridle in her teeth and shook it at me. It was obvious she wished to set out. Her insistence is why I showed up so late last night."

Kai went and hugged him as best she could with her belly in the way. "I am glad you made it. Remind me to give Rhia an extra apple as a thank you," Kai smiled at him. "Shall we go see who this important visitor is? It's someone so important they woke us before the sun has come up." Zev smiled and offered her his arm.

They made their way downstairs to the dining hall of the hunting lodge they were currently using as a safe house. As Anora's mind seemed to be slipping further and further into insanity, the banns and arls had started to look to Arl Eamon for help. Only the most trusted of these had been let in on the secret of Kai's being alive and her carrying the Theirin bloodline that could make Anora's spiraling-out-of-control rule collapse. They offered their homes and hunting lodges and even trusted freeholder's homes as places for her safe houses. Anora still did not know she was alive, and they meant to keep it that way.

This particular lodge was close enough to Highever that her brother Fergus had been able to come to visit for the Solstice celebration without rousing suspicion. It had been hard having to stay away from him now that she had him back in her life again, but his visit was making up for it. She smiled and hugged Zev's arm, thinking that she and Fergus should go out in the snow today and sled down the hill behind the hunting lodge as they had when they were children. Of course the sled she got on might just sink into the snow and not move. Perhaps she would just let Fergus sled and she would watch. Not to mention that all of her very protective friends and Eamon and Teagan would put the kibosh on any such possible dangerous activity. Kai sighed to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she and Zev walked through the door of the dining hall to see Eamon and Teagan, as well as her brother, which surprised her. They were speaking to a figure Kai couldn't see standing on the other side of the doorway. As she and Zev entered, Fergus came forward to take her hand. His face didn't look alarmed but it did look...grim? Zev picked up on that and stayed close in behind her, probably making ready to pull one of his daggers if necessary.

Both Teagan and Eamon also looked worried and nodded in greeting as she came further into the room. Kai turned towards the visitor, seeing a small elven women looking at her. She was beautiful, and age had only made her more so rather than diminishing or softening her beauty in any way. Her eyes were a startling dark brown or black. Kai was drawn to them; most elves seemed to have exotically colored eyes like Zev's amber ones. But this woman's eyes were dark pools in her almost unlined skin. She had dainty, softly tapered ears that kept back her silver white hair. Kai also noted she was a mage carrying a staff of white wood, well used. She wore a grey cloak pinned with a brooch with a rampant griffon on it. A Grey Warden, then.

Kai moved forward, her hand outstretched, "Greetings, Grey Warden. Since I know Anora has denied the Wardens leave to come to Ferelden, despite her earlier promises, I take it you slipped in?" Kai smiled. This woman must have come from Orlais or Weisshaupt. She was going to guess Orlais as Weisshaupt was a journey of thousands of miles, and she doubted they sent a Warden from so far away simply to see what was going on in Ferelden. "So they sent someone to find out what has been happening? I take it you have heard that all the Grey Wardens in Ferelden are dead?" Kai was not about to blow her cover to some stranger just because she was wearing the griffon on her clothes. Kai watched the mage give a sardonic little twist of her lips.

"Actually, my fellow Grey Warden, I am here looking for my son, Alistair."


	22. Chapter 23

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_SPOILER: So now you know the visitor is Fiona from Mr. Gaider's books. There hasn't been confirmation from anyone working with Dragon Age that Alistair is indeed the baby at the end of the second book, but I say Maric was not the cheating kind, nor was he a rascal that had a lot of lovers. So, I am going with the implication that Alistair was no cleaning woman's child, and Goldana (that harpy) wasn't his half sister after all, which would make me very happy indeed, the shrew._

_And we have another surprise visitor coming soon as well. : )_

_Again, thanks for all your support, your feedback, and reviews. You have all been so great! Let the tale continue. : )_

Kai felt as if she had had the breath knocked out of her, and the room started to spin for a moment. Fergus, sensing her shock, tightened his grip on her arm. She heard her voice from far away, "Your son, Alistair?" Kai couldn't quite believe she got the words out.

"Perhaps we all should sit down? Especially, Kai," Teagan spoke from behind her. Fergus guided Kai to one of the benches for the long dining table in the room. The elven woman went around to the other side to sit across from Kai. Zev followed the mage and stood behind her; Kai knew it was his way of keeping an eye on their visitor. Mages couldn't cast spells if they couldn't speak. Kai knew Zev would have the woman's throat slit inside of a second if she so much as twitched with the beginnings of a casting.

Fergus sat himself next to Kai on her right and Teagan on her left. Eamon sat next to the Grey Warden mage. Kai felt her hands balled up on the table and made a conscious effort to flatten them out, looking at the softly tapered nails as if they belonged to someone else. "I have some very bad news for you then, _fellow _Grey Warden. The man you are looking for is dead. He died a hero, killing the archdemon and saving us from the Blight. Or did The Grey not hear of this?" Kai thought to be as blunt as possible to see the woman's reaction. She looked at the elf across from her, whose face remained neutral except for the tears escaping the corners of her eyes.

"It confirms what I had heard around Ferelden. I knew there were two Gray Wardens against the Blight. But none from Orlais were allowed to come in after Loghain took over. The reports told us Riordan had snuck in, and then we lost track of him. We knew that one Gray Warden must have stopped the Blight, as it is only a Warden who can. But we have heard nothing further, and Anora ignores our requests for information or to be allowed into Ferelden. The reports mentioned one of the Wardens was named Alistair. That was the name Maric and I gave him, it means 'people's defender.'" The elf's voice choked, and she looked away for a moment. "It isn't a common name. I thought it might be him. I had hoped that Riordan, as the senior Warden, would have taken the blow. I see that is not the case." Her tears continued to fall unabated.

"I know not know whether to believe you or not. I live under a cloud of danger, constantly moving and trying to keep myself, my child, and those I love alive. How do I know you aren't some tool sent by the pretty little viper on the throne? Wearing a grey cloak with a griffon on it means so very little, and then you throw out a...a name that you could have heard anywhere in Ferelden?" Kai let one corner of her mouth quirk as the question tapered off.

"Kai..." Eamon began, but he cut off when the woman simply put a hand on his arm. Kai watched as she reached beneath the tunic she wore to take out a pendant, identical to the one Kai wore around her neck.

"There are only two of these in all of Thedas. I had them made especially by a jewelry crafter in Weisshaupt. I put one around my infant son's neck and the other I wear, always." She placed the pendant on the table in front of Kai's hands. Kai took off her own pendant, her lips brushing it before she took the other to hold them side by side. "If you know what to look for, there is lettering worked into the design. Mine says 'mathair' or 'mother.' His says 'mioruilt' or 'miracle' because he was my miracle." Kai looked up to see the elf was crying steadily now, tears pouring down her face making her cheeks wet. Kai felt her own tears as well.

"She is my mother? So Goldana's not my sister? Bloody hell, I am glad I that harpy wasn't related to me after all," Alistair's voice sounded amazed and relieved at the same time. He was taking this better than she was.

"Riordan died trying to get the archdemon to the top of Fort Drakon. I was going to take the final blow, Alistair stopped me," Kai's voice hitched. She still couldn't talk about it, even now. The woman reached over and grasped her hand, squeezing it.

"Mi' gra, my love," Alistair's voice sounded with regret for her pain.

"Perhaps someone should explain why Alistair, and thus I, myself, have been lied to?" She directed this in particular to Eamon, who looked uncomfortable. Kai could hear the cold anger in her own voice, "Eamon, why did you lie to Alistair about his mother?"

Eamon looked at his hands, and then at Kai. "Maric asked me to take care of him. To raise him." Kai carefully schooled her face at this statement, considering how Alistair had been raised. "His mother, no offense dear lady, was an elf and a mage and a Gray Warden. There was a cleaning woman, pregnant with a daughter. The woman gave birth, and she and the baby died. It seemed like the perfect solution. We would simply say that she was the mother. If any of the other nobles knew that the mother was a mage and an elf, it would have made more trouble for Maric. It would have made it almost impossible for him to rule. He would have spent his time being twisted around by any noble trying to use the information against him, and Ferelden would have suffered."

"And I asked Maric not to tell him who his mother was. That was part of my request," Fiona broke in.

"Perhaps you would like to explain that?" Kai nodded at the woman in front of her. "Oh, and I don't believe we have been introduced, how rude, I hope you will forgive me?" She found herself reverting to her training as a noble. It helped her have some control, otherwise she felt she might not be able to handle the emotional overload. "I am Kaidana Cousland, your son's lover and mother to his child. And you are?" Kai smiled.

"Fiona."

"Fiona." Kai tried the name out as if it were a foreign language. She felt her lips curving in a smile. "So, please tell me the story of how Alistair came to be, since the story he had was not even close." Fergus just reached for her hand and held it.

Fiona explained the trip to the Deep Roads, what had happened there, The Architect. Fiona told her how she and Maric had come to care for each other, love each other there. How the taint, for whatever reason, had left her blood. How she had found herself pregnant and how Grey Wardens were not allowed to raise children, any more than the mages at The Circle were allowed to do so. How she told them she had a good home for him. How she had taken him to his father, Maric, and asked him to make sure their son would not be stuck living a life without choices. Kai barely held back a cynical laugh at that, considering the choices Eamon made for him. He was not to be raised as competition for Cailan to the throne. Not like Maric, stuck being king when he didn't want it. Again Kai almost laughed, _How things do go the way we don't want them to._ Not like Fiona's being first a slave, then a mage, then a Grey Warden to escape The Circle. How she had wanted more for her son, and she worried he would not have it if anyone knew that not only was he Maric's bastard, but also who and what his mother was. Fiona just looked at Kai with tears running down her face.

Kai reached out a hand to comfort Fiona, until her mind latched onto something Fiona had said. Kai's fist hit the table with a loud crack, causing everyone to jump. "Gray Wardens aren't _allowed _to raise their own children? Is that what I am hearing? That the Gray Wardens won't let me keep and raise my child? Kai felt her blood flushing her face in anger. This was like no anger she had ever felt; it was a mother bear protecting her cub. "I am not about to hand over my child for someone else to raise because the _Gray Wardens _say so. I lost Alistair, I will not lose his baby too. So, you can go back to Weisshaupt and tell them they can go to hell. And by the by, my blood is no longer tainted anymore, so I don't know that I can be considered a proper Gray Warden. Furthermore, if they try to take my child from me, I will quit the Wardens; and if they come for me, I will flood Thedas in rivers of their blood!" Kai's face was a mask of fury.

They all stared at her. It was Fiona who broke the silence. "I would never allow it. It was the worst thing I ever did in my life. And I am not about to let that happen to my grandchild. I daresay that the people in this room wouldn't let it happen, either. You do have advantages I didn't have. You are not a mage or an elf. Have no fear, _daughter_." And Fiona reached for her hand and squeezed it. Kai returned the pressure, calming herself.

Kai picked up both necklaces and heaved herself up to go and stand by the fireplace, looking into the flames. She studied them, and now that she knew what she was looking for, she saw the script easily. 'Miracle,' yes he was, in so many ways.

"Beloved," was all Alistair said in her ear. "You are mine." She smiled and brushed it with her lips again before she slipped it over her neck and turned her aching lower back to the flames, rubbing the muscles there. Kai watched Eamon, Teagan, Fergus and Fiona all speaking quietly together. She walked back to sit down at the table next to Fergus once again. She took Fiona's hand and kissed it before opening it and placing her necklace back in her hand.

"I am pleased to meet you, mother?" Kai smiled. I am sorry for my rather rude and abrupt manner, but raising an army to stop the Blight only to lose...to lose him has been difficult. Then for someone to show up claiming to be his mother when that was not the story we were told, well it is a little much to take in. I ask your forgiveness for my harsh behavior and my assumption that you meant to make me give up my child." Kai felt herself flushing with embarrassment. Being pregnant really made her emotional.

Fiona seemed to read her thoughts. "I remember what it was like to be heavy with child. Your emotions get very..."

"Unstable?" Kai asked giving a laugh. She was pleased when Fiona joined in.

"Yes, that is one way to put it." Fiona smiled.

"Maybe you two would like to sit and talk for a while? I think Fiona would like to hear about him." Teagan just smiled at them both. _Ah, Teagan always so thoughtful,_ Kai smiled at him. Fergus helped her rise from the bench this time and led her to one of the big cushioned chairs sitting in front of the fire. Zev brought more pillows to put behind her aching back, but she found she had to get up again before she barely sat down. Her back was just aching so badly and sitting was not comfortable at all. She stood and put her back to the fireplace again, hoping the heat would ease the muscles.

Kai could see the pink edge of the dawn starting outside the windows. Before she could say anything it was as if a fist hit her in the stomach and left her gasping. "Kai!" Fergus yelled. Zev grabbed one of her arms. She felt water running down her legs and pooling at her feet.

"Um, Fiona, I think we are going to have to postpone our chat." But Fiona was already gesturing for the men in the room to come and help get Kai back upstairs. Fiona just put her shoulder under Kai's arm, while Zev propped her up on the other side, and they began walking her out of the dining hall.

"Looks like I showed up just in time to see my grandchild born," she smiled at Kai.


	23. Chapter 24

**BioWard owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_So, we get the arrival of the next generation in the Theirin line. Oh, and I couldn't resist throwing in a snow cone. : )_

_I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Thanks for all your support, putting my story on your alerts and favorites, and especially for all the reviews and private messages. You are all just wonderful._

_Blessings!_

"Push, Kai!" Wynne's voice urged her as a guttural cry escaped Kai's lips. She had been at this since sunrise, and it had been dark again for hours. The storm that Zev had said was following him had arrived. Kai could see the snow in a little pile on the floor in front of the window she had opened so she could stand and get some relief. Sweat as pouring off of her, slicking her skin. She was sitting on a birthing stool while Fiona and Leli and a female elven servant all took turns letting her lean again them or giving her words of encouragement.

The room had been especially set up for this purpose. It was devoid of any rugs. It had a bed and one small table where a pitcher and a bowl of water sat along with clean cloths and a cup for Kai to drink from. There were a couple of chairs for the women in the room with her and the birthing stool. It had room for Kai to walk, which Wynne said was essential; gravity helped pull the babe down and made it easier for the mother.

Another contraction hit her, and she wondered what constituted easier. It wasn't so much the pain, after all she had been shot with arrows and crossbow bolts, stabbed, sliced, burned, frozen, crushed, hit with lightning, and had all manner of bones broken. She had even been poisoned. There were varying degrees of pain, and she figured she had probably run into most. The pain was livable. It was the intense pressure coupled with the pain. It was as if her body were trying to squeeze her in half, and yet the pressure kept building.

It had started off easily enough with lower back pain, which while uncomfortable was not that bad. The squeezing and pressure started in the early stages of her labor, but she had time to rest between contractions. To walk, to even eat and drink a little, play chess, or read a book. Leli had played her lute and sung songs. Occasionally, one of the others would come by to check on her, say hello. Her brother Fergus had come in with snow drizzled with honey from outside, something they had as a treat as children. But as time wore on, the contractions had come in waves closer and closer together, like the tide coming in from the ocean.

"Leliana, get me another wet cloth please," Fiona directed the pretty bard sitting in the corner strumming a soft tune on her lute. The bard started to dip a cloth into the basin, when Fiona stopped her. "Leli, use some of that snow over there," the mage waved toward the pile in front of the open window. "It will be cooler, and I think Kai would like it better." The bard complied and handed her the cloth with snow cupped in it. The cold felt divine on Kai's hot skin.

"OK, time to walk some more I think, young lady." Wynne gripped Kai under one arm and pulled her up. Fiona got on her other side.

It was getting harder to walk, the pressure seemed to be pressing down on her legs and her hips. Another contraction had her bowing up forward, crouching as it rolled in. Kai felt the cold stones under her feet as she tried to grip them with her toes. Her whole body wanted to contract everywhere. Sweat poured into her eyes, and her breath was coming in bursts.

Kai was exhausted, even though she had kept up with her rogue training. She had stayed active during her pregnancy and had managed to do so up until the eighth month or so. She was not in bad shape by any stretch of the imagination, but this seemed to be taking an awfully long time, longer than was healthy. She had been at this for hours upon hours.

They put her back on the u-shaped birthing stool as another contraction rolled in. Kai felt more pressure as Wynne checked her progress. Kai didn't want to know; it was enough that she was being squeezed in half. Kai caught the worried look Wynne flashed Fiona. "Wynne, is the baby all right?" Kai tried to keep panic from her voice.

Wynne's hand glowed with magic, and she placed it on Kai's swollen belly. "The babe is fine, the heartbeat is still strong," Wynne put a cool hand on Kai's forehead brushing back sweaty locks of hair. "But the contractions don't seem to be moving it further down. You need to push with them as hard as you can. I know you are tired."

Kai bowed forward again as her womb contracted, and she tried to push along with it, but she was so tired she felt her muscles trembling with exhaustion. "Leli, go to Zev; get one of his sharpest daggers." Leliana's pale skin went whiter.

"You can't mean to..." Leli couldn't finish. Her eyes were wide.

"I do mean it, go!" Kai gasped at her as another contraction squeezed her causing her breath to expel in a gust.

"That could kill you. We may not be able to perform enough healing magic to save you," Fiona's voice came from behind her tinged with concern.

"I know that, but I am getting more tired by the minute. I want to use it as a last resort, believe me. But, the baby is all that is important. Do you understand?" Kai pleaded with them as yet another spasm hit her. They both just nodded.

And so it went for another hour or maybe two, it was hard for Kai to tell. Her world had narrowed in focus to contractions and pushing. Nothing else existed. Wynne checked again. While she had made progress, it was not much. "Wynne, get the dagger." Kai just leaned against Leliana, who was giving Fiona a break.

"No, my love, please wait!" Alistair's voice pleaded with her. "You must not!"

"My beloved, Wynne and your mother may not keep me alive, but the babe must live. If they don't save me, they save it, and I will be with you again in the Fade," Kai said into her own head.

"No! You must not, you must raise our baby. I don't want it to wind up raised like me," his voice was sobbing into her head. "Please, wait."

"Ali, I am undone; I can't keep on," she responded tiredly. She wanted to comfort him, she could hear him sobbing, and it was breaking her heart. "It will be all right," she told him.

Wynne had taken the dagger from Leliana, and Fiona's hands glowed ready with healing magic. Alistair's voice just kept sobbing "No" into her ear. "Do it, Wynne." Kai looked her in the face and smiled a reassuring smile, nodding. Just then a familiar voice rang out from behind Wynne.

"Oh yes, do gut her like a fish. 'Tis always her way, to sacrifice herself, even for the fool Templar's brat. Do you suppose it will be as stupid as its father?" All eyes turned toward the window where a beautiful brunette with the golden eyes of a hawk stood frowning.

"Hello, Morrigan," Wynne's acerbic tone greeted the witch. "Just like a bad coin, you always show up."


	24. Chapter 25

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Just to let you all know, it is back to work for me tomorrow, so no staying up really late to write unless it is the weekend. I have spoiled myself, and you all, by being home sick to write until the wee hours of the morning. So, there may a slightly more delay in the chapters than you are used to. But rest assured, I am as anxious for the next installment as you are, and I am the one with the story in my head! : )_

_And we have Morrigan back. I personally couldn't have kept her away, I like her too much. So on with the story._

_Blessings!_

Kai looked at Morrigan. So many emotions – love, happiness, anger, guilt, surprise – all collided and she couldn't hold onto any of them as another contraction bowed her in half. Morrigan merely smiled a cold smile at Wynne and the rest of the group.

"I never did comprehend what you saw in your idiot Gray Warden, save that you told me he was good in bed, Kai. But really, you could have slept with him without letting him get you with his progeny as well. There are ways of preventing it." Morrigan leaned herself against the wall crossing her arms and her ankles, her face drawing up in a disdainful grin.

"Morrigan, where have you been? Why didn't you stay..." Kai began, but another spasm effectively cut her off as she focused on trying to push and breath.

"I didn't stay because I didn't want to. 'Tis enough, to be sure. I owed that fool and you nothing. You turned down my perfectly reasonable offer as repayment for my mother. A child was all I required in return. It was up to you to take it. Why should I stay for the likes of you or that besotted cretin you chose to tie yourself to?" Morrigan continued to look on with cold golden eyes.

"You always were a cold one, Morrigan. Did you come just to insult Kai, the woman you called friend? The woman who helped you against your mother?" Wynne's voice was icy. "You always had a tongue as sharp as any blade, witch."

"Oh ho, we are going to discuss blades are we, old woman?" Morrigan gave the slightest nod toward the dagger in Wynne's hand. "How interesting since you are the one about to gut her."

Fiona stayed silent, looking between Morrigan and Kai, her face neutral.

"You are so...so evil!" Leliana spit at the witch standing before them.

"Ah, so the tongue-tied bard finally puts her two coppers in? My, my I am so-o hurt. Really, you are going to make me weep," Morrigan mocked the red head and wiped away an imaginary tear. "So, Kai once again makes the big decisions, the hard choices, unlike the fool Templar, a man with few brains and no _balls_ at all. Although, he apparently had balls enough to get you fat with his idiot seed. Otherwise, he would not have left the saving of the world to an untrained junior Warden and then taken the coward's way out. He couldn't live without his _precious_ Kai so he killed himself," Morrigan purred.

"Stop insulting Alistair!" Kai could feel the heat in her face as her anger rose. When the contraction hit, Kai bore down.

"Stop insulting him? I only speak the truth. The man was not worth the energy his parents put into making him. To be sure, the world is a better place without him in it." Morrigan's smile played on her lips as she looked at Kai.

"You cold-hearted bitch!" Kai yelled as yet another spasm hit her womb.

"'Cold-hearted bitch' am I? _I_ am not the one who had the means to save the man she loved but was too arrogant and selfish to use it." Morrigan peeled herself away from the wall and slunk forward the way a hunting cat moves. "'Twas not _I _who let the man _I_ supposedly _loved_ with all of my _heart _and _soul,_ my _very being_," she mocked, "die on top of a tower when _I_ could have saved him. 'Tis you who are the 'cold-hearted bitch' Kai, not _I._" Morrigan put one hand to her chest delicately and smiled a slow smile with one corner of her mouth quirked up to go with her raised eyebrow.

"I am going to kill you, Morrigan. I am going to wrap my hands around that skinny throat of yours and squeeze until that viper's tongue pops out from between your teeth and then I am going to cut it out and wear it as a necklace!" Kai shouted at her through yet another contraction.

"Really, if you are going to do that, then you had best push that fool Templar's flotsam into the world. Otherwise, I will take great pleasure in watching Wynne cut you open and take it from you. Perhaps it can be raised by Arl Eamon just like its idiot father." Morrigan smiled more widely and crossed her arms in front of her chest as she stood before Kai.

Kai bore down as hard as she could, a guttural scream leaving her lips, as her fury drove her. Kai felt the pressure increase then recede as her child slipped from her. Wynne took the tiny infant, cleaned out its mouth, and gently thumped the babe's tiny feet. The little face turned bright red as the mouth opened letting out a thunderous squall which reminded Kai of Alistair's war cry. Maybe it would be a shield warrior, too. Kai leaned back against Leli, relief and love swamping her. She thought she had already loved someone as much as she could with Alistair, but she apparently had so much more to give, it surprised her.

"It's a girl." Wynne just smiled at Kai while she put the wet and bloody babe on Kai's chest. Wynne took string and tied off the umbilical cord so she could cut it.

"Well, I was praying and hoping that would work," Wynne looked up at Morrigan and smiled.

"So you figured it out, did you?" Morrigan looked pointedly at Wynne.

"Well, you aren't a frog are you?" Wynne laughed at Morrigan.

Morrigan only laughed and waved a hand dismissively at Wynne.

"You did that on purpose?" Kai whispered as she continued to look at her tiny daughter who had stopped crying and whose eyes had opened to look at hers. The babe had dark down on her head and the blue eyes of a newborn. Kai wondered what color they would be later. She felt herself smiling through tears of joy. It all threatened to overwhelm her.

"Mi' gra, she is beautiful; I am so proud of you," Alistair's voice spoke into her ear, tinged with awe, and love.

"'Tis true, you always did have a temper. 'Twas easy enough to put it to use." Morrigan walked forward and knelt down in front of Kai, actually reaching out to touch the baby lying on her chest.

"Aw, she is so cute!" Leliana exclaimed. "I can't wait until she is old enough to go shopping for shoes!" Morrigan snorted under her breath. Fiona just put a hand on the baby's head and stroked it.

"I think she looks like Alistair," Kai said looking at Fiona, who had tears running down her cheeks.

"More's the pity," came Morrigan's retort, but she smiled a genuine smile and shrugged when Kai looked at her. The baby just used her balled up fists to wipe at her face.

"I think someone needs her first bath." And Fiona picked up her granddaughter, walking to the table to fill the basin with water that had been warming over the fire.

Kai just sat grinning, and then she felt as if her body was being squeezed in half again. She grunted as her breath was cut off. Leliana grabbed her shoulders. "Wynne what is the matter with her?"

Wynne bent down in front of Kai next to Morrigan and looked at the witch.

"It looks like the fool Templar got her not with just one babe, but two." Morrigan's mouth twisted in a wry smile.

"I hope you have a Plan C to help her, I don't think getting her angry will work this time." Wynne and Morrigan looked at each other.


	25. Chapter 26

**BioWare owns all but my character's name and her dog's name, oh and the little bundles of joy. : )**

_So, Morrigan shows back up and hail hail the gang is all here. Oh, and I tweaked this chapter at the end a little, it wasn't all I wanted it to be, so I hope you will all reread it. : )_

_Thanks for sticking with me and my story. And for all the new fans who put me on their alert lists, and favorites, thank you. Reviews are always welcome and really help keep the juices flowing. So thanks to you all that review as well. I am back at work, **sigh**, wish I was getting paid with bennies to write this, because that is what I would do. But I have to eat, so I am sorry if this is delayed. But I hope you continue to find it worth the wait._

_Blessings!_

Morrigan reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a small bottle. "Plan C is this. It is a poison in large amounts but in tiny doses gives one great energy and stamina. But you have to know how much to use, and we don't want the babe affected. 'Tis a double edged sword. No?"

"We can't use that, if it is a poison, we could kill them both!" Wynne's voice rose a decibel.

"'Tis better than the dagger, no? For that will surely kill her, even with all the mages in the room." Morrigan looked at Wynne. "'Tis Kai who should decide. Dagger or potion?"

Kai knew that the underlying question was also whether or not Kai trust Morrigan as she used to. This was a test of faith and love. Kai went with her gut. Morrigan had been there so many times, had come now in her hour of need, though she knew not how Morrigan had known. But the act that sealed it for Kai was that Morrigan had shown up at Alistair's funeral.

"Let's use the potion." Kai looked at Morrigan, hoping the witch saw the love and trust shining in her eyes. She had missed her "sister." She hadn't realized how much until now. Kai expected Alistair's voice to protest, but it remained silent.

Morrigan took a deep breath, unstopped the bottle and dipped her pinky into its depths. With the barest hint of a liquid shimmering on her fingertip, she bent forward and kissed Kai on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "If this kills you, my sister, I shall drink the rest." Kai looked into yellow eyes that glistened with pain, loneliness, regret, sorrow, worry, and love. Kai had only a moment to register all of this before the shutters went down in Morrigan's eyes again, and she felt the sweet concoction brushed across her lips.

Kai didn't know what the potion was called or what it was made from, and it was probably best she didn't know. It was as if someone had started a storm inside her. It was like the electrical current that crackled in the air when lightening hit. Kai felt as if she could throw Sten or even Shale over the hunting lodge's roof. When the contractions came, she found herself bearing down as if she had just started, not as if she had been at it all day and into the night. Her womb convulsed, and she rode it like swimming on waves in the ocean. Even as dangerous as this potion supposedly was, she almost wished she had had it from the beginning. Eventually, the pressure she was now familiar with built up again.

"One last push, Kai, come on, my child, you can do it!" Wynne's voice called to her as if from a distance. Kai found herself growling as she bore down hard. The pressure built and lessened as her second child slipped into the world.

Wynne did the same procedure with this babe as its sibling. She cleared its mouth, and thumped its feet, but no cry came this time. Wynne gave a little giggle and thumped it again. Still nothing. "Wynne?" Kai felt her heart start to beat so hard in fear she thought it would burst through her rib cage and fall out of her chest to flop around the room. Her breath constricted in her throat. Wynne only waved a hand at her.

"It is all right, child, this little one apparently doesn't feel the need to cry like his sister." Wynne simply smiled and placed the second babe on her chest so she could tie off the cord.

"Did you say 'his'?" Kai looked at her second child with the same awe and love she had the first. Two in one? A girl and a boy? How could she be so lucky? Her son looked at her the same way her daughter had, but he had a more serious look on his face. Kai felt a happy little flush in saying that even in her own head – _her _daughter, _her_ son. Then, the babe chirped at her and put his tiny fist in his mouth. His little head had fuzz the color of Alistair's, but even squished from his journey into this world, he reminded her of Fergus and her father. His dark eyes looked like Fiona's. He chirped again as if he wanted to tell her all about what had happened, and Kai reached for him, his little fist grabbing her finger.

"Ah, my beloved, I am the happiest man to ever live, or be dead," Alistair's voice laughed in her ear. It was a giddy sound, and she found her own laugh echoing it.

"Let's get Kai and the new arrival washed off, and then we can probably get them all safely put to bed." Wynne's brisk voice brought everyone out of whatever thoughts they were in. Morrigan helped Kai wash off with a cloth and water. It wasn't as good as a soak in a tub, but it made Kai feel better. That and a clean dry shift made her feel almost human again. Morrigan tucked her in and sat on the covers next to her. Fiona and Wynne brought the babies over to the bed swaddled and wrapped up tightly in blankets, which seemed to have soothed them to sleep. They placed them between Morrigan and herself.

Kai was so tired, but her system was still singing from the potion. And she couldn't stop looking at the little faces in the bed with her. Tears poured down her cheeks. Wynne just kissed her and stroked her still wet hair before stepping back. Fiona too came forward and looked once again at her grandchildren, before stroking Kai's cheek and smiling a sad smile. Leliana too gave Kai a hug and a kiss before addressing Morrigan. "I am sorry I called you evil." Morrigan only raised her hand in a shooing motion. The three women all walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Kai looked at Morrigan to find the witch looking at the twins with love and sadness in her eyes. She had reached out a hand and was stroking the tiny cheek of first one, then the other. Kai caught something glistening on Morrigan's cheek, a tear? Kai reached out and grabbed her hand. "Morrigan, I have missed you. Sister. I am sorry I made you feel unwanted by refusing your offer. I just couldn't take the chance on that Old God coming back to bite us all in the arse. It was the most painful decision I have ever made, and for so many reasons. I lost you and Alistair to it." Kai felt tears again running down her cheeks.

Morrigan just grabbed her hand and held it to her own cheek, "You have hardly lost the fool Templar completely." And Kai knew Morrigan did not mean the twins.

"You know about my hearing him? That he talks to me from the Fade?" Kai felt her eyes getting wide and her eyebrows shooting up. She didn't think anyone knew about that.

"Ugh, that annoying man! He came crying to me in the Fade while I dreamt. He babbled in his usual idiot way and would not let me alone. Kept saying you were going to use a dagger and kill yourself. It took me forever to get him to calm down and to explain. When he did, I turned myself into an owl and flew here as fast as I could. Fool." Morrigan's voice was tinged with annoyance and an underlying affection that would be hard for anyone else to hear if they didn't know her. "And now you are stuck with me again, so it seems you have not lost as much as you thought. Unless you wish me to go?" Morrigan's voice held both hope and despair.

"I have you back," Kai smiled at her. "But, why did you leave?" Morrigan looked away.

"I always told you love is a weakness. When you refused my offer, part of me admired you for your strength, and another was angry at you. I thought you were being a fool. I knew in my bones that Riordan was not going to be the one to make the sacrifice. And I knew, my sister, you would be the one. And I felt fear. I have never felt fear before."

"You felt fear? For whom?" Kai looked Morrigan's profile as the glow from the fireplace lit the planes and contours of it.

"For me. I felt fear because I could not bear to watch you die. You are the only person who had given of themselves to me, asking or demanding nothing in return. You are the only person who wanted me around for _me_. My own mother wanted me as a sack to fill."

"And still does, no doubt." Kai reached out and grabbed Morrigan's hand.

"No doubt." Morrigan squeezed back.

"Men always looked at me and just wanted this body. The Templars wanted me because I am an apostate. Only you have ever loved _me_, my lack of social graces and all. And I realized that what Wynne said was true, the old biddy."

"What did Wynne say?" Kai had heard Wynne give advice on many topics.

"She said I would come to the end of my life and no one would mourn me. I knew the only person who would mourn me was you, and you were going to be dead on top of Fort Drakon. So, I left. I could not watch the only person who had loved me and whom I had loved back, die. Love is a weakness, so I ran. It would seem the fool Templar and I have more in common than I thought. He couldn't live without you and neither could I." Kai watched another tear slide down Morrigan's cheek. Kai reached up and brushed it away.

"And yet, you returned. You returned for Alistair's funeral. And you returned to help me. I would say it is what we do with love that makes it strong or weak. You are one of the strongest people I know." Kai stroked her cheek and smiled.

"Ugh, sleep now, or you may annoy me and make me wonder why I returned." And she put Kai's hand across the twins and stood, smiling down at her. Kai had only a moment to groan to herself as the potion seemed to be wearing off, and she felt a familiar blackness engulfing her. And she had been doing so well, too. She hadn't gone comatose in months! Sod it, the others were going to kill her for sure.


	26. Chapter 27

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Warning! This chapter, and maybe the next, is going to be more of a fluff one. We have had so much emotional turmoil, drama and near death experiences I thought it might be nice to have a little break before I ramp it all up again. After all we have a Winter holiday, everyone is together and we have the new arrivals to the Theirin line. Let the fun begin._

_And as always, thanks so much for your support, your reviews, your putting me as a favorite. You all rock my world. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai woke up to gray murky light coming through the bedroom windows. She was still in the birthing room, so maybe she hadn't done the "let's go comatose" routine she seemed so fond of, for which she was extremely grateful. She didn't think the others would be able to tolerate pouring broth down her throat again. She rolled over to see the twins both awake and making little chirping noises as they tried to suck on Zev's fingers. Apparently, he had taken Morrigan's place sometime in the night. He was laying under, _Maker finally_, the covers while leaning on one elbow while watching them. Kai took a moment to enjoy watching one of her best friends in the world with a look of awe and wonder on his usually guarded face.

"I can't believe they're mine, either." Kai watched him start as he had not heard her rouse.

"I can, they are beautiful like their mother," Zev smiled at her.

"On that we can completely agree," Alistair's voice held love and pride. "I'm glad I got Morrigan to come. I didn't think she would, since we never liked each other. I may have to change my mind on that now. Not a raging bitch, just a bitch." Alistair laughed.

"She will be heartbroken to hear it I am sure," Kai retorted with a mental smile of her own.

"Kai, I...," Zev voice cracked. "I am glad you did not use my dagger after all, dear friend." And Zev touched her cheek. She had such good friends, how blessed she was. She knew what it must have cost Zev to hand the blade over to Leliana, knowing what it was for.

"I am glad we didn't use it either, Zev." She put her hand over his on her cheek and gave him a smile.

"I think they are hungry, no? I will fetch Wynne or Fiona, since this is your first try at this?" Zev threw back the covers and got out of bed to get dressed. Before leaving to fetch Wynne or Fiona, he gently pulled her up and piled pillows behind her back so she could sit up. She felt as if her body had been beaten with a pillow with rocks in it. Zev kissed her forehead and left the room.

Feeding babies was quite a learning experience. Kai was so grateful that she had Fiona and Wynne helping her, or she didn't know what she would have done. The twins could have starved before she figured it out. Kai did have a moment of intense sadness that her own mother was not the one helping her, Maker that was difficult. This sadness was the only blight on an otherwise very blissful and happy moment.

When it seemed the little ones had had their fill, been burped, changed and re-wrapped in blankets only to fall asleep once again, Wynne had suggested that Kai get dressed and walk downstairs. It was Winter Solstice, and by Wynne's calculations the twins had arrived on and little after midnight today. So, it was a birthday and a holiday all in one. The others were all downstairs waiting to see her and the babies and to celebrate.

Kai put on the same sort of simple woolen robe she had been wearing since her belly got too big to be comfortable in leggings and a tunic. That and doeskin slippers for her feet, and she was ready to go. She leaned on Wynne taking careful steps, as she just felt tender all over. Fiona followed carrying one baby in each arm.

She could smell the wonderful smells filling the hunting lodge from the kitchen, and they made her realize just how hungry she was. She hadn't eaten much since yesterday morning, and her stomach grumbled to let her know it. They made their way downstairs to the dining hall where she had been introduced to Fiona.

The hall had been decorated with evergreen branches and holly. Candles glowed and the fire roaring in the fireplace kept out the chill of the snow still falling outside the windows of the lodge, making faint hissing noises as the flakes brushed against the glass. She walked in the doorway to see those she loved, her extended family. They were all here. It made her heart swell. She just wanted to grab this moment when all their eyes turned towards her, and she could look on each beloved face.

Her brother came forward first and caught her in a big bear hug. "If I had known that having a little sister was going to scare the years off of me, I would have told Mother and Father to adopt a Mabari." She could feel him grinning into her hair.

"Ah, but then you wouldn't get to play doting uncle, now would you?" Kai snuggled into his chest.

"Always a catch." He laughed and grabbed her chin tilting her face upwards so he could look her in the eye. "I am so proud of you, little sister." He kissed her before releasing her to help her sit in one of the big chairs by the fire. Kai laughed, it was the same chair they had tried to sit her in before, but this time she was able to settle into it. Fergus covered her legs with a blanket, and Zev put pillows behind her back yet again.

Fiona sat in the chair across from her as she had done just yesterday. Really, just yesterday? It felt much longer to Kai. Oghren came and looked at each infant and turned to her, "Why is it that all newborns look like old, bald dwarves? This calls for a celebration, Warden; let's bring out a keg and some mugs! Come on, 'Uncle Fergus!'" Oghren smacked Fergus on the back before winking and walking away towards the kitchens. Fergus shrugged at her and grinned before following the dwarf with Zev quietly slipping in behind.

Shale came next and put a giant stone finger out with surprising gentleness to touch each baby. "It has done well, I think, for something squishy." And with that Shale put herself behind Fiona's chair in a sort of guard stance.

Sten came next and looked down at them and then at Kai. "Kadan, you have done well, but I am not surprised." He simply stood with his hand on her chair. Leliana bounced up and kissed Kai with a big smacking kiss then wrapped her arms around Sten, who was too taken aback to do anything but grumble under his breath.

Wynne placed herself next to Leli who was still gripping Sten, and he seemed to be, if not comfortable with the bard's hug, at least getting used to it. Argus, her Mabari, gently snuffled the little bundles and quietly woofed at Kai. "Thanks, Argus, I think they are great too." She patted him before he lay down in front of the fire. It was Morrigan who walked to Kai's chair and sat herself on the floor next to it, settling with the boneless grace of a cat. She said nothing, she just tilted her head to lean on the arm of the chair, and Kai stroked her hair.

Teagan spoke next, "May I say, they are beautiful like you, dear lady?". He took her hand and brushed it with his lips, casting a look of longing? at her. _Oh, boy._ Teagan had been very attentive and caring, and he seemed to want more from her. She was going to have to do something about that. He deserved a person who could give him her whole heart. Kai's heart was already given, she would only disappoint them both. She gave an internal sigh. However, this was a holiday, and that problem could wait for another day. Today was for living, laughter, and love, as the saying on her family's garden gate went.

Eamon came and looked at both babies, touching each gently. He looked at Kai and smiled. Isolde had followed her husband but asked if she might hold one of them. When Kai nodded, Fiona let her take one of the twins. Kai could see the longing on Isolde's face and knew that Isolde was missing her own son, Connor, who had been sent to the Mages' Circle for training. Kai now understood why Isolde did what she did and why she wanted to keep her son with her. Kai didn't think she could bear to part with her children, either. Kai made a mental note to tell Isolde again how much she appreciated her saving her with the Ashes and how she understood the woman more. Apparently, the darkspawn would be holding ballroom dances in the Deep Roads, Kai gave a mental snort.

Fergus and Oghren returned toting a couple of kegs, and Zev followed with a tray of wine, mugs, and... cookies. Kai laughed. It was all so wonderful, like old times, except they weren't stuck outdoors in tents. Everyone was here even if not in physical form.

"Come to the Fade in your dreams tonight, and I will show you physical," came Alistair's teasing voice. _Letch_, she told him, but his voice made her tingle with love.

Fergus and Oghren proceeded to pour mugs of ale or wine. Wynne snatched one mug of ale and pressed it into Kai's hands. When she raised an eyebrow in question, Wynne simply told her the hops in beer were good for milk for growing babies.

It was Morrigan who broke the silence. "I see you all staring at me, I am not blind. Nor am I a dream from the Fade. Yes, I have returned and yes, I mean to stay. So do not let your eyes linger over long, I will not be ogled," Morrigan spoke as Wynne handed her some wine.

"Since the swamp witch came back and helped the Warden, I have no problem with not squishing its head like a lemon. But I will keep an eye on it as it can apparently turn into a bird. If I see one feather, then squi-ssh," Shale growled from behind Fiona's chair. Sten merely touched Morrigan briefly on the head before Leliana bent down and wrapped her arms around Morrigan's neck and hugged her like she had hugged Sten. Morrigan's face registered annoyance, but her hand came up to pat one of the bard's arms encircling her neck.

"Oh, I am so glad we are all together again!" Leli wiggled with glee, causing Morrigan to roll her eyes and snort. Kai figured she should make introductions to Fergus who had not met the witch yet.

"Fergus, may I introduce a really good friend, Morrigan. If it weren't for her, I might not be sitting here, and not just because of yesterday, either. Morrigan, my brother Fergus." Kai pointed to her brother.

Fergus bent down to kiss Morrigan's hand. "Then I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving my little sister, dear lady."

"Did the witch actually blush?" Alistair's voice sounded incredulous. "Oh, my!" Kai merely laughed at him, but it was something to think about. Morrigan seemed at a loss for words or even for a dismissive motion, she simply nodded. Kai cast a sideways glance at Fergus and Morrigan, smiling to herself.

Kai was roused from her musings when Oghren's gruff voice broke the silence. "So, what are you going to name the little ankle biters, Warden?" Kai did a check with Alistair, and all he had to say was "perfect." "My son is Duncan Bryce Maric Theirin, and his sister, if this is ok with their grandmother, will be Fiona Eleanore Theirin." Kai looked at Fiona for confirmation.

"I would be honored," Fiona's voice broke as tears formed, but she was grinning from ear to ear.

"Well a toast, then, to the little pike twirler's and the Warden's progeny!" And with that Oghren raised his mug, downed it and belched, wiping his face with his sleeve. Everyone looked at him for a moment and then laughed. "Cheers!" resounded across the hall, and they drank a toast to the newest members of the Theirin line.


	27. Chapter 28

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Thanks so much for your support, reviews, putting me on favorites. Please continue to tell me what you think, your feedback means a lot. And I am again sorry at the delay in chapters, darn that working for a living thing. : ) You are all the best._

_What do you do when you have a man who is interested in more than you can give? Well, Kai finds a possible solution, or has she? And what happens when you confess to your closest female friends you have been talking to your dead lover all along? And let's just say a certain favorite ex-Crow we all know and love gets himself into trouble. Or is it that he never finds trouble, because it always knows right where he is? I hope you all continue to enjoy! : )_

_Blessings!_

Winter had come in with a howl and a flurry following Zev in from the Waking Sea, settling in on the twins' birth, and it was but one of many such storms that would keep them bound to the hunting lodge until almost all of the month of the Moon of Snow's Flowers had gone. It was both a blessing and a curse. It gave Kai and her extended family plenty of time with the new arrivals. Giving her, in particular, a chance to play "mommy" and bond with her little ones. Plus, Anora could do no mischief with all the snow. But the other side of that blade, the weather also meant Kai and her cohorts could do nothing to help the people of Ferelden by playing the Silver Griffon. So, they tried to make the best of the situation and enjoy each others' company. They were able to forget, for a time, the dangerous world outside.

Kai put her time indoors to good use, getting back into shape by learning Zev's Antivan Crow skills and even Leliana's bard skills. She had plenty of time to hone her rogue skills and limber up her body again by teaching Zev the unarmed martial arts style she learned from a follower of the Qun who had visited Highever once. That and breastfeeding two babies with appetites like Alistair's made her almost as thin as she had been when she was in a coma for two weeks. This situation made Wynne nag at her to eat more, which was something that secretly pleased the mage.

Zev had made these training sessions of utmost importance, as she was the head of the growing new group of spies and assassins for Ferelden called "The Scath," which meant "shadows" or "shades." The group was meant to be spies like the bards of Orlais rather than killers like the Crows. Not that the bards were squeamish about killing, but the Crows were almost nothing but assassins. Zev had said that both talents were necessary, so he and Leliana trained the Scath recruits together, including those volunteers at the lodge who were stuck in the snow with them. Her title, as the leader, was Scathach, or "The Shadowy One." When Zevran had proposed this, she had laughed and teased him that it was quite literary and poetic, and he had no reason to say she was the only one who ever read too much.

Some of the Scath had infiltrated the castle at Denerim as servants before the big storm, and its subsequent smaller sisters, had hit. Of course, they had had no word from these Scath, nor had they been able to get any word to them. So when the first Snowdrops thrust their green shoots through the snow, they knew that Spring was on its way.

When the weather had stayed sunny for a week with no overcast days, Zev had taken off for Denerim once again to check on the Scaths there. The rest of them moved from the hunting lodge to Redcliffe. They had put Kai and the twins in Connor's old room, and Isolde had even been able to pull out some of his old baby clothes, nappies, and toys. Staying at Redcliffe brought back all sorts of memories for Kai, including her last night making love with Alistair here before they had marched on Denerim to slay the Archdemon. Now that she thought of it, it was probably the night the twins were conceived. It was a painful place for her, and so she spent most of her time in the village, walking around with the twins, now three months old. The exception was "mommy's day off," which gave Kai a little time out from being a mother. Kai had protested this at first, but Wynne had said such time away was necessary. Truthfully, Kai had found it did help her keep her perspective when the twins woke her in the night.

This particular day, Teagan was visiting, as he seemed to do more and more lately. Kai really was going to have to find a way to let the man down easily, if she could. She had no desire to hurt him. He was a handsome man and a good man, and at times she was tempted. It was hard only seeing Alistair in the Fade, in her dreams. Not that dream sex wasn't wonderful, but it always left her real body achy when she was back on this plane. Teagan would make a good father, but he deserved more. He would expect to have someone who could give of themselves as he would give of himself, completely. Kai knew that wasn't possible for her. Unfortunately, her reticence didn't seem to stop Teagan from trying.

They were walking around the lake together in companionable silence. Kai had stopped to watch the wind waking waves across the water. "Kai." She sensed Teagan turning towards her, she thought to say something more but instead she found his hand cupping her cheek as he bent forward to place his lips on hers. She had a momentary sense of panic, when _bless the Maker_, they were interrupted by a female voice.

"My lady? Warden?" A pretty young blonde woman was calling to her. Teagan dropped his hand as if it were on fire and jumped guiltily. Kai just looked down a moment, trying not to let Teagan see her relief. The young woman looked familiar though it took her a moment to recognize her. It was Kaitlyn. Kai had looked for her little brother Bevin the day before one of the nightly attacks of undead on the village. She had found Bevin hiding in the closet in their home. He had wanted to use the family sword and fight, to be brave, but it was too big for him. Kai had convinced him to go back to Kaitlyn, and he had given her the key to a chest to fetch the sword. It was a fine blade, and Kai had paid Kaitlyn for it. She had thought Kaitlyn left Redcliffe to go to family in the city.

"Kaitlyn! How are you? I thought you had gone to Denerim." Kai hugged the young woman.

"I was going to, my lady, but Redcliffe is our home. Once you killed off the darkspawn, Bevin and I came back. We opened up a refinery here with the money you gave us. And because of you, we are now helping those in need under Anora's rule. I could do no less to honor your example," Kaitlyn beamed at her.

"Kai is quite the influence on us all it seems." Teagan flashed a smile at Kai, before turning to Kaitlyn. "You look familiar, my lady. Have we met?" Kaitlyn's eyes got very bright and she blushed, her cheeks getting more pink than the chill wind would account for.

"My brother and I were in the Chantry under your brave keeping, ser, when Redcliffe was being attacked." Kaitlyn held out her hand, and Teagan took it and brushed his lips over it. Kai noticed Kaitlyn blushed even more, and she seemed to be breathing faster.

"It seems, Ban Teagan, I am not the only one to make an impression." Kai smiled at Kaitlyn, who looked down at her toes.

"Ban Teagan was so brave and comforting in such a frightening time. Just seeing him there watching out for us made us feel safe when all the fighting was going on outside." Teagan blushed and looked flattered and embarrassed.

"I assure you, dear lady, it is Kai who deserves all your praise." Teagan looked to Kai again, but she was not letting him off the hook. It was perfectly obvious that Kaitlyn was enamored of Teagan. Kai felt a little together time with Kaitlyn was just what he needed.

"Teagan is far too modest. Why don't you come for supper at the castle tonight and bring Bevin?" Kai gave Kaitlyn a smile while plotting in her head to get Leliana to help her play matchmaker.

"I would love that, and Bevvie would too," Kaitlyn stammered while looking at Teagan with unabashed adoration. Teagan smiled at Kaitlyn while Kai shot them a sideways glance.

"Perfect, come when the bells of the chantry ring five times. We shall have extra places set." Kai found herself almost being ignored as Kaitlyn looked at Teagan smiling.

"My lady, I look forward to it." Teagan again brushed Kaitlyn's hand with his lips before the poor blushing girl walked away, looking over her shoulder periodically.

"Well, we had better get to the castle to warn the cook that there will be two more for supper." Kai felt a small glow of satisfaction which was short lived, as Teagan turned her around and crushed his lips to hers. A small spurt of need rushed through her, but it was other lips she longed to have. He gently let go of her, then stepped back and offered her his arm. _Oh, boy_ was all her mind could come up with. _This might not be as easy as I thought it was going to be_, Kai huffed to herself as they walked back to the castle.

When they arrived, Kai asked Teagan to tell the cook about their impending guests, all the while making desperate hand motions at Leliana. Blessings of Andraste, the motions were not caught by Oghren who would have made some embarrassing comment about them, drawing Teagan's attention to her actions.

Luckily, Oghren was playing a dwarven game that involved a board with little divots in it where players jumped little round rocks over the others to capture pieces and try and get to the other side of the board before their opponent did. Oghren had been trying to teach Sten and Shale the game. Shale kept trying to say the boulders should smash each other and had to be reminded not to crush the pieces between her fingers when she captured them.

The giant Qunari was sitting across from Oghren holding Fiona as her little face kept alternating between mimicking the giant's serious features and gurgling coos at him while smiling. Sten kept tickling her tummy with a bronzed finger. He looked more interested in the baby than the game. Kai was reminded of the time when Leliana had caught Sten dangling a string for a kitten.

"I knew it, Sten is a big old feather pillow on the inside!" Alistair's voice crowed with glee in her ear.

Luckily, Leliana caught Kai's frantic motions; so did Wynne who was reading to Duncan as he sat on Morrigan's lap. All three women had looked up when Duncan's eyes lit on his mother. They must have thought she had seen an archdemon, the way their faces all registered concern. Teagan, who had been looking at her hopefully and longingly, finally left to go tell the cook of their guests.

Wynne moved to say something to Sten, nodding towards Kai and taking Fiona out of his lap. Wynne walked towards Kai with Leli and Morrigan following, Morrigan still holding Duncan. Kai waited until they had all returned to her room and shut the door before she started pacing back and forth running her fingers through her hair.

"Whatever is the matter with you, child?" Wynne asked as she took a squirming Duncan from Morrigan. "You look like a horde of darkspawn are on your tail."

Kai stopped pacing and looked at the three women before her. "Teagan kissed me!" Kai started pacing again.

"Oh, how wonderful!" Leliana smiled.

"No, Leli, it isn't wonderful, it is awful," Kai shot back.

"Why ever would you say that, child?" Wynne looked at her with confusion. "It is about time, and he is a good man. And if he likes you...," Wynne let that trail off.

"It just isn't a good thing, Wynne, trust me. I...I can't be with Teagan." Kai felt even more horrified. She looked desperately at Morrigan.

"She can't be with Teagan because she still has Alistair," Morrigan stated calmly while keeping her golden eyes focused on Kai. Her pronouncement caused Leli and Wynne to looked at Morrigan as if she had grown another head.

Finally, it was Wynne who broke the silence, "What do you mean, she still has Alistair?" Wynne looked at the witch, raising an eyebrow. Morrigan's gaze never wavered from Kai's.

"She means I can talk to him. And I have been doing so since the day after the battle on top of Fort Drakon." Kai felt tears rolling down her cheeks. It was the squall of a hungry Fiona, who started her sibling crying as well, that broke the shocked silence in the room. Kai felt her body responding to their cries for food, so she immediately piled up pillows and sat on the bed. She fetched the two blankets rolled to support them as they fed from nearby. Wynne, obviously disturbed by the news, busied herself putting the twins in place. When they had been settled, she turned and grabbed a chair to sit facing Kai. Morrigan walked over and laid herself next to Kai on the bed, giving her support.

"I think you have some explaining to do, young lady." Wynne's voice was neutral like a mother who wants to yell at her child, but refrains from doing so only with extreme self-control.

"Uh oh, somebody's in trouble." Alistair's tone was like a little boy making fun of a sibling. Kai, whose body responded to feeding the twins by washing her in calm, did a mental smile. "Just don't mention how you jumped me. I know how you and Wynne like to make me blush," he admonished her. Kai wanted to laugh.

Kai found herself explaining about hearing him after she woke up. Of how close she came to being lost at the funeral and how it was his voice that had saved her. She told them of her visit to the Fade and all that had happened there. How Andraste had told her of their two souls being made from one. How she had agreed to leave him only to save Ferelden once again and to give birth to their children.

It was here that Morrigan broke in, telling Wynne and Leli of Alistair's visiting her in the Fade in her dreams. How he had known what Kai knew. How he knew she intended to use the dagger to save the babes and sacrifice herself. And because of that, she had known to come to Kai's side and do what she did. Morrigan looked at Kai and stroked her cheek. "So you see, she cannot be with Teagan, it would be unfair to the man."

"Well, that does answer some questions I had about your turning up when you did, Morrigan. It seemed very fortuitous. As to Alistair, you tell him thank you for saving you at the funeral. I wouldn't have wanted another Aneirin on my record. But why couldn't you tell us, young lady?" Wynne's voice sounded hurt.

"Oh, Wynne, Leli, I thought I might have been going mad. I didn't feel crazy, at least not _crazy_ crazy, just crazy with grief. I wanted to hear him. I _needed_ to hear him. It was the only thing that kept me going after his death. I felt as if my soul had been ripped in two." Kai pleaded with her to understand, tears of remorse falling down her cheeks. "And according to Andraste in the Fade, it had been." Kai looked down at her nursing children, Alistair's children. They were falling asleep, their little cheeks stopping then starting again as they woke briefly to suckle a little more.

"Oh Kai, of course you had to do what you did! This will make a wonderful ballad. A knight who sacrifices himself to save his lady love, and yet their love survives death! I can't wait to start writing it!" Leli just grinned at her, causing Morrigan to roll her eyes. Wynne got up from her chair and stroked Kai's hair before taking one sleeping twin and then the other, placing them on the bed between Kai and Morrigan.

"I understand, I would have done the same thing in your shoes. And I understand why you have been reluctant to return Teagan's affections. What can we do to help?" Wynne smiled at her.


	28. Chapter 29

**BioWare owns all except my character's and her dog's names. : )**

_Thank you all for your continued support and reviews. I am so lucky to have such a following and such wonderful fans. : )_

_Forgive the lengthiness of this chapter. I knew it was long, and I thought of chopping it up, but in the end decided to leave it. I hope it's entertaining. And for those who slog through to the end, you know we have another exciting installment with our favorite Antivan heart breaker. Please let me know what you think, including if you think this was too long. Your opinions are important. : )_

_This was an emotional write for me. I love Ban Teagan, and I really had a war with myself about setting Kai up with him. But in the end, I couldn't be unfair to his character. There are so many good male characters in the game. Ban Teagan I do have a crush on, he reminds me of strawberry ice cream. So when I had Kai let him down as easy as she could, I felt like I was breaking up with him. So, to all you hens and stags out there that love Ban Teagan, I feel your pain. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kaitlyn and her little brother Bevin showed up promptly at five. Kaitlyn was wearing in a very pretty dress and had obviously washed her hair with flower water, as it glowed in the candlelight and she smelled lovely. Kaitlyn's eyes were glowing too, when she looked at Teagan, which she did frequently. On the other hand, Teagan's eyes for the first half of the conversation before the meal seemed to be for Kai.

Kai kept moving from group to group and studiously avoided Teagan as much as she could without making it obvious. Luckily, she had Leliana aiding and abetting in getting Teagan and Kaitlyn together. Whenever Teagan would start to approach Kai, Leliana would call his attention back to herself and then smoothly back to Kaitlyn. Kai likened it to a dance. When Leli couldn't get his attention, Wynne would step in.

Poor Fiona, who had been making potions all day and had missed the conversation, was at first confused and then amused. At one point Wynne must have explained what was going on, since Fiona started to help if she could by engaging Teagan in conversation if he looked to be straying in Kai's direction.

When they retired to the hall to eat, Kai found herself far down the table while Teagan sat with Bevin on one side and Kaitlyn on the other. Leliana and Wynne sat with them. Kai had no idea what the conversation was, but Teagan seemed to enjoy talking to Bevin at least.

After dinner, the dance began again as Teagan kept trying to get Kai alone, and Leliana and Wynne found themselves working double time. It was Morrigan who came to her rescue and suggested Kai needed to go see to the twins. She flashed a grateful look at Morrigan and quietly excused herself to escape upstairs. Kai would have found the evening amusing if it hadn't been so exhausting.

"Who knew Teagan had it in him? No woman has ever been good enough. Just shows he has excellent taste," Alistair's voice sounded in her ear as she walked down the hallway to her room.

"Huh, you are no help at all. And you have been peculiarly quiet about the whole thing. I would almost wonder if you weren't considering having us get together." When Alistair's voice didn't sound back right away, Kai stopped dead in her tracks. "You weren't thinking that were you? Were you?" she asked him, waiting for an answer while her heart beat painfully in her chest. She finished crossing to her room and shut herself away behind the sturdy door after the servant who had been watching the twins left. "Really, Teagan, poor Teagan being stuck with a woman who will never love in the way he deserves? Is that what you would really want for the poor man? I thought you liked him, Alistair," Kai spoke into her own head.

"I do, and no, I know you will never _love_ him. What you feel for him is respect and caring, but not love." Alistair's tone of voice was hard to read, as if he were hiding something, some deep thought.

"What are you thinking Alistair?"

"Could it turn into love? Couldn't it grow into love, later?" Alistair asked her.

Kai groaned, "I would have to have more of a foundation of real affection than I have for Teagan. Or would you rather we get together and make each other miserable when I can't give him what he wants? What he will expect, what he deserves to expect, Alistair. He will want more than I can give, and you only have to look to Loghain and Anora's mother to see how that kind of relationship works out for all involved. Added to that, Teagan will want, and should want, children of his own. I don't want anymore children. I have all the children I could ever want, from the only man I share my heart and soul with. They were more than I expected and more than I deserve."

"Now, if you can find me a man who will understand I cannot love him with all of my heart and soul. A man who will not want children of his own. A man who will not love me with all of his heart and soul, so I won't feel guilty because we don't expect it of each other," Kai ticked off the list mentally. "Then sure, I will gladly bed that man if it will make you happy. Until then, my beloved, my heart, my soul, we will just have to keep meeting in my dreams until I slip this mortal shell and can be with you again. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to Andraste's little game of 'Wicked Grace.'" She tried to give him a mental smile, but Alistair remained ominously silent.

"Why this sudden urge to see me go to bed with someone? You know that is all it would be," she asked him.

"If that were all, my love, you would have no problem getting any man you crooked your finger at. But I know it has always been more than an act for you, your heart has to be in it as well." And then it was as if Alistair hit her in the head with a blacksmith's hammer. "I don't want you to be lonely anymore."

"You don't want me to be _lonely_ anymore? Who says I am lonely?" Kai protested. "I have good friends. Fergus is alive. I have our children. How can you say I am lonely?"

"I say you are lonely, because I feel what you feel, my love. I know you are." She heard the sadness in his voice, and it only made her angry.

"Then perhaps you should have let me be the one to die on top of Fort Drakon! I am _not_ having this discussion with you, Alistair." He remained silent. Kai wanted nothing more than to throw something across the room, but knowing she'd wake a set of sleeping twins stopped her.

Kai found herself another servant to watch the twins and decided to go outside and practice with throwing daggers. She stepped out into the cold night air. The ground still had snow drifts in places, especially in corners. Her footsteps crunched across the yard as the frost on the gravel broke. She toed the line, started lining up her target, aimed and let her blade fly. She threw slowly at first and then increased her speed as if tossing the blades might stop her thoughts. It was when she went to pick out the daggers from the target dummy that she realized someone was standing there. It was Teagan. Not the person she really wanted to see when she was so emotionally raw.

"My lady, isn't it a little cold out here for target practice?" He walked towards her with a smile, holding a cloak. She went to take it from him to find he had stepped up close, facing her, and was wrapping it around her shoulders as his lips once again found hers. She stepped back, her face flaming. Kai had never before felt this awkward. She wanted to keep Teagan as a friend; he was a good man. She ventured a look at him and saw his hurt and confused expression. "You are still in love with Alistair." He made it a statement, not a question. Kai bit her lip and gave a slight nod. "And time will not lessen that." Again a statement, not a question. He turned to go, and she could see the hurt in his shoulders.

"Bann Teagan, wait," Kai begged him.

"To what end, dear lady?" Teagan's voice was so soft. Kai grabbed his hand and drug him inside where they could at least be warm while she tried to explain. She had killed darkspawn, she had faced a broodmother, she had faced the Archdemon. This shouldn't be any harder right?

Kai sat him down on a bench in the ante room leading from the courtyard. She took a deep breath and told him about what had happened to her when she had been poisoned and comatose. She told him of the Fade and what happened there. She told him of her heartrending choice to come back. She told him about Andraste and Alistair. "Don't you see? You are such a good man, a deserving man. I can't give you what you need, being with me would be a ruin for you." Kai felt tears coursing down her cheeks. Why must her every action have to be so damn important to someone? She felt the familiar guilt, that all her ways seemed to lead to death and or destruction. Here she was hurting a perfectly good man. What by Andraste's flaming sword was she supposed to do?

She turned away from Teagan and tried to choke back a sob, and dammit Alistair was right – she was so lonely. She just wasn't lonely enough to mess up both their lives. He turned her back to face him and lifted her chin. He smiled, a sad smile, but a smile, "Sweet lady, why do you turn yourself inside out so? You have to be one of the most generous, strongest women I know. But you do take too much on yourself." He brushed away her tears and kissed her on the forehead.

They went back into the hall. Wynne cocked an eyebrow at Kai, and she just shook her head. She tried to keep up a brave front for a while, but even that just tired her out. Finally, she bid everyone a good night and made her way back to her room. She let the servant go and got into a shift, ready for bed. The twins stirred. First, Fiona looked at her and smiled while chewing on a tiny fist. Then, Duncan woke wanting to know what all the excitement was about. She just stroked their cheeks and cooed at them. Unfortunately, she found herself crying in great choking gasps, and the twins decided to join in. That was how Fiona's namesake found her. She came in and put a hand on Kai's back and stroked it while simultaneously patting first one child, then the other.

"Mi' gra, my love, I know you are mad at me, but please don't cry," Alistair's voice spoke to her in a soothing tone.

"I am not mad at you. OK, I am, but only for being right."

"Oh, I should have Andraste mark this moment down, it's historical. I am right! Probably won't happen again though, never fear." His voice held laughter.

"Hah, very hah," she grumbled at him.

Finally, Kai and the twins quieted, and the babies wanted to be fed. Fiona helped her get situated to feed them. When they were settled and sitting quietly, each of them lost to her own thoughts, it was Fiona who broke the silence. "Kai, I...Wynne told me that you and my son, you and Alistair, are connected?" Fiona blushed and looked down at the bed.

"Fiona, I am so sorry, I should have told you...," Kai began, but Fiona interrupted her with a quick hand on her arm and a shaking of her head.

"You don't have to be sorry. We have hardly begun to get to know each other. I just, well..." Fiona flushed and looked at her grandchildren. Tears formed in her eyes. "I was just wondering if you could let him know – the next time you, well, the next time you two talk – how much I loved him. How much I love him now and how giving him up was the hardest thing I ever did. Ask him if he can ever forgive me." Fiona just looked at Kai with tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Of course I forgive her, tell her that was never in question. It was worth it if for no other reason than finding out that harpy Goldana isn't related to me after all," Alistair joked.

"Shall I say the part about Goldana then, my love?" Kai teased him back.

"Maker, don't you dare woman, or I shall tickle you senseless in your dreams!" Alistair's sounded horrified.

Kai smiled at Fiona. "His forgiveness was never in doubt, dear lady. One thing you should know about your son, he is one of the most forgiving souls to ever live." Fiona put her hand to her mouth to stifle a half laugh half sob, before moving the twins. Once they were burped, changed, and back to sleep, Kai patted the bed next to her. "You know we never did have that chat about Alistair. Would you like to know the man he became?" Fiona nodded and lay down next to Kai, putting her hands across the twins and patting their bellies.

Kai and Fiona talked long into the night. She told Fiona all the stories, starting from when she met Alistair. She let her hold the rose he had given her. There were laughter and tears on both sides until they were both nodding off. Fiona thanked her and kissed her before going to her own room. And Kai lay down to sleep.

She found herself in the Hall of Highever, where she had sat talking to Andraste. She felt Alistair grab her hand and she turned, her lips seeking his as they always did. _Ah, this is bliss_, she thought. She wrapped her legs around him. "So the hall in Highever? Not the forest glade or the waterfall or any of our usual places? Feeling like you want to take a chance on someone's seeing us? I'm game." She pressed her lips to his, nipping and licking. It took her a moment to realize he wasn't responding the way he usually did.

"Kai, about earlier, with Teagan," he spoke against her lips as his hands roamed her body. Even though he was trying to make this a conversation, he was having trouble with it. She wanted to laugh.

"Enough about that, I hurt the man, I am not proud of that. And I am with the one I want to be with _right_ now. And how long before I get woken up by the twins, or someone else?" She started taking off her shirt letting her naked breasts brush against the thin shirt he had on.

"You are not making this easy. Kai, really I want to talk to you." He was half kissing her and half stroking her naked skin.

"Talk is cheap, we can talk when I get back to the physical world. Right now I want you naked." She ripped at the thin fabric of his shirt and nibbled on his earlobe, pleased when she got low grumbling moan.

"No, I need to talk to you." He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "I need to get this out now or I may never get it out. I think you should sleep with Zevran." He flushed but continued to look at her.

"Um, come again?" Kai couldn't believe what he was saying. "You want me to sleep with Zev? The Antivan assassin, the bloke you didn't want to take along after he attacked us, the one you got pissy about? The gent you had your knickers in a twist over because he flirted too much? That guy? I just want to make sure that it isn't some other Zevran we are talking about." Kai felt her cheeks turning pink and her temper rising. "Why in the bloody hell would you suggest such a thing? Are you mad? What has gotten into you? What is this need to see me shagging someone? Have you developed a penchant for watching?" Kai just stared at him. Alistair flushed harder, but he didn't look away.

"What is this place?" he asked her in a serious tone.

"It is the sodding Fade, is what _this_ is. What does that have to do with anything?" The angrier she got, the more her language skills deteriorated. She was glad her mother wasn't here. Well for that, and the fact she was half naked. Part of her wanted to giggle, while the other part remained shocked and angry.

He set her down and walked her to the window and made her look out, pointing to the sky. In it the Black City was visible as it always was in the dream side of the Fade. "This is a dream, Kai. It isn't the Fade beyond the Black City where your parents and I dwell. This is a dream, and what we do here is wonderful, but it isn't real. You know this, you feel this. You know what the Fade in death feels like. The more you are there, the more real it is, because it is a real place. But you are back in the physical world. It doesn't do to live in the world of dreams, my love. You have a real life, and you promised to live it. Living means fulfilling all the physical needs, including companionship." He turned her around and brushed his fingers against the side of her face, giving her his lopsided smile. He continued in a rush. "What we have, beloved, no one can touch or come close to. You are right in that. You asked me if I could find you a man who would not be hurt that you could not love him the way you love me. Zev loves his Rinna, and you love me, and you both love each other."

"Yes, I love Zev, but..."

Alistair bent his lips to hers. "I am not threatened by your love for Zev, it is the love of a really dear friend. And has he not proven his love for you in the same way? He stayed, he could have left. The Crows may be searching for him, but he overrides his own instincts for survival to stay with you. He kept my body from being dressed up as a Cailan look-alike. He has done everything for you Kai, because you are his only true friend." He kissed her. "You have a long physical life ahead of you, remember? Promise me you will think on it? I want you to be happy and fulfilled before you come back to me in the Fade beyond the Black City. I don't want you bitter because of loneliness. I love you more than anything, and your happiness is most important to me." He started nibbling on her earlobe.

"I will think on it." His lips were moving down her throat. But she startled when a thought hit her. "You aren't going away are you? You are still going to talk to me, to meet me here?" For a moment she thought her heart would fly out of her throat. He simply brushed her hair away from her face and smiled that smile of his.

"You don't think I could do that to you, do you, or myself? And miss out on our children through your eyes? Or miss out on this?" And he started nibbling her neck again while his hands roamed across her breasts, causing her to arch against him. "This may be just a dream, but it is a damn good one." His mouth claimed hers again as he picked her up to carry her to the couch. At just that moment, someone started knocking on the front gate. Kai tried to ignore the knocking again as Alistair's mouth was wandering in wonderful ways across her torso, but it didn't stop.

"Andraste's holy knickers, come in!" And she woke herself up by shouting in her dream again. "Sod it!" she pounded her pillow in frustration. Now she needed to go dunk herself in Lake Calenhad. "Nug humping bastard, you are lucky you didn't wake the babies," Kai grumbled under breath. A servant stuck her head in the door.

"Um, my lady. I hate to wake you, but you have an impor..."

"Let me guess, an important visitor? Yes, they only seem to come in the wee hours of the morning and interrupt dreams," Kai groused.

"Especially dreams where people are about to lick lamposts in Winter," came Alistair's cheeky retort. She gave a rueful mental laugh.

"I will be down in a few minutes. Would you get Wynne to come and stay with the twins, please?" The servant only nodded and closed the door again. She looked over to the bed as she got dressed looking not at the twins, but at where Zev would usually be. She missed him and wondered what he would say to all of this. She had to admit that his physical presence _was _a great comfort. He would have gotten dressed and shadowed her, protecting her, supporting her. Add to everything else the fact that even with all the usual sexual flirting, Zev had never really been anything but tender and caring towards her. She was going to have to do some uncomfortable, heavy thinking. Because of Alistair, part of her soul was in the Fade, and it was hard to reconcile the two planes. Throw in the dream plane, and it was like trying to juggle three shelled-boiled eggs.

Wynne showed up in a robe and bleary eyed. "We have a visitor, apparently, that I need to see. Would you mind watching the twins?" Kai hugged Wynne.

"No, of course not, child. I got Morrigan and Leli up so that you would have some protection since Zev isn't here to supply it. They are waiting in the hall." Wynne smiled and brushed her hair back before lying on the bed next to the twins.

Kai made her way into the hall after she had dressed in a tunic, leggings and boots. Morrigan looked alert and wide awake. Leli looked a like a little girl, her hair still rumpled on one side and eyes blurry with sleep. Kai knew that was a facade. The bard had used that trick before on unwary enemies. Kai smiled at them both, and they all turned and walked down the hallway to the great hall.

When they entered, it was to find one of the Scath recruits, a platinum blonde with a pixie cut and big blue eyes. Take her out of the unrelieved black leathers and put her in a dress, and she would have looked like any wholesome milk maid or simple castle servant, not anything like the killer and spy she was. In fact, servant was the role she had been playing in Denerim. Kai remembered her name as Lelyth.

Lelyth turned towards her and came forward to grab Kai's forearm in a warrior's grasp which Kai returned. "So, what news? With the storms, we figured you all were continuing to gather intel and waiting for a break."

"Indeed we were, Scathach, and Zevran arrived to gather what we had and make new plans if needed." Lelyth looked uncomfortable. Kai sensed the next news she was about to hear was not going to be good. Her instincts were screaming at her that it had something to do with Zev. She kept her face neutral.

"Go on, Lelyth." Kai watched the spy's features become shadowed.

"Zev received a message the night he was going to return here. He wouldn't say what it was. He just told us our assignments and then he put the parchment in his shirt and armed himself. As he was leaving I..." Lelyth looked ashamed, and blushed.

"What did you do, Lelyth?" Kai was having a harder time keeping her face and voice neutral. Everything inside her was screaming, _Not right!_

"I picked his pocket, Scathach. I know that was wrong, but he acted so strangely. I retrieved the note, and this." Lelyth put a jeweled earring in her hand along with a piece of parchment. Kai opened it up to read:

_The Crows send their regards,_

_We need to have a chat, Zevran Arainai, about so many things, do we not? Gnawed Noble Tavern, back room on the left._

_Come alone._

_Master Vimaro_

Kai felt her face go pale, and she ignored the urge to crumple the note in her fist and throw the earring across the room at the wall. _ Stupid Zev, stupid, stupid, stupid. You let your emotions over-rule your brains. _ Kai recognized the earring. Zev had its mate. It was his Rinna's.

Leliana broke into her internal tirade. "What is it? What is wrong?"

"Zev has been taken by the Crows."


	29. Chapter 30

**BioWare owns all but my character's, her dog, and the Master of the Crows name. :)**

_Sorry about the delay in another chapter, this one required a little research into cryptography, couple that with a major headache yesterday, I wasn't on my A game. So I played, what else? Dragon Age of course, since I have been writing, I haven't been playing as much. I consider it research too, LOL._

_So Kai has to go and look for her frisky, Antivan troublemaker. There is no way Kai is just going to leave him to the Crows. So, on with the show!_

_I hope you don't get tired of reading this, because I mean it really, Thanks! Your support, your reviews, your putting me on your favorites and alerts gives me the warm fuzzies and makes the muse sing. I am so grateful. Oh and Happy Valentine's for those inclined toward the holiday. And for those that hate it, sod all those nug humping hearts and flowers. But hooray for the chocolate! : ) In the spirit of those little horrid tasting message hearts, I hope you will all continue to 'be mine.' LOL! : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai had been spurred into action. She sent Lelyth back to Denerim after she had rested. The poor girl and her Ceffyl had ridden all night to Redcliffe as soon as Zev had left and she had read the note. Not only was she to go back to her assignment but to inform the rest of the Scath to be ready should they be called. Her mind had been going more swiftly than an arrow, planning what and who she would need for this journey. The "who" would have to be completely voluntary. So, Kai had the servant who had woken her wake all of her compatriots up and have them meet her in the great hall.

Morrigan and Leliana just watched her pace, rereading the parchment as if it would give her more information. Kai knew it wouldn't but she couldn't help it. She also preferred to stay angry at the foolish elf, because underneath she felt fear, and a whole lot of it too. Sten, Oghren, Shale, Argus, and Wynne walked into the room, followed by Eamon and Teagan. Kai groaned inwardly. She was hoping to avoid a confrontation with Eamon, who no doubt would argue against her going. But, she kept her face neutral and turned to address all of them.

"Zevran has been taken by The Crows. I intend to find him," Kai swallowed and clenched her fist, "alive or dead. I am hoping alive, of course. He was taken in Denerim, and I only have this note for him to meet someone in a room in the Gnawed Noble Tavern." Kai looked them each in the face before she began again. "I am going, there is no argument that will sway me." She held up a hand to Eamon whose mouth had started to open. "But I could use help. We have fought together, and you have all stayed by my side, I could not ask for better friends. I know you consider me the leader, but I am not telling you that you have to go. I am, however, asking, one friend to another. But if you feel that putting your lives on the line for Zev is too much, I understand. There will be no shame, no recriminations, no guilt. This is for me to do." Kai fell silent and let them think on it.

"You are really going to do this?" Alistair asked in her ear.

"Hey, you are the one who wants me to sleep with him remember?" Kai tried to make her query light, even though her throat wanted to close up, her heart was banging in her chest, and her stomach felt like ice. "I can't very well sleep with him if he is dead, now can I?"

"Ha, very ha," Alistair's voice sounded scared too. "I know nothing I say will sway you anyway. You are the most pig-headed woman in all of Thedas."

"I prefer 'implacable,' remember?" She gave him a mental smile.

"Just, please be careful. I know you can handle yourself, but you are a mother," Alistair's voice admonished.

"Yes, I am quite aware I am a mother, since I am the one who went though about twenty-three hours of sweating and pushing and almost dying. That is something really hard to forget." Kai retorted back. She felt him sigh, so she relented. "I know, my beloved, but Zev would not leave me. Can I do any less for him? For any of them?"

"I know, just please keep our babies in mind, no pulling any of your usual crazy death defying stunts like going comatose, OK?" Alistair's voice teased her.

It was Shale who broke into Kai's internal conversation. "Since the painted elf has never turned into a bird or shown any inclination towards the feathered fiends, then I will go."

"Oh, I suppose that means if ever I were in trouble, the great stone statue would leave me to dangle?" Morrigan asked the golem with a wry smile. "Well, 'tis no matter. I too will be going."

Sten merely watched their exchange with a slight hint of amusement on his otherwise immobile features before turning to her. "I hear there is a bakery finally running again in Denerim. I wish to sample its cookies." And then he shrugged.

"Did Sten just try and make a funny?" Alistair's voice asked with laughter. "Oh my, hanging out with you lot is totally ruining him!" Kai gave a mental snort.

"I don't care about the pointed eared, poncing git, Warden, I am just going for the beer. I hear the Gnawed Noble Tavern has some really fine stout. I've been meaning to try it out," Oghren clapped Kai on the back.

"I think we have figured out with who our giant friend has been spending too much time," Alistair quipped to her.

"With _whom,_ dearest, with whom." Kai corrected him in her head.

"With _whom_, meh meh meh," Alistair's voice said sarcastically back. Kai laughed.

Kai looked at Leli and Wynne, the only two who hadn't spoken up. Leliana smiled, "I didn't think I had to say anything, you know I am going. Saving Zev and shoe shopping, what more could a girl ask for?"

"Yes, well I can't go shoe shopping with you unless I am in disguise. Anora thinks I am dead, I mean to keep it that way for a while longer." Kai smiled at the red head. "In fact a disguise will be necessary."

"You could go as a dwarf." Oghren joked.

"Thanks Oghren, but unless we cut off my legs, then I am a little tall to pass as one," Kai laughed back at him.

"An old woman," Wynne broke in. "We can dust your hair with flour, make it whiter. Carefully drawn on wrinkles, even a pebble in your shoe to give you a limp. Plus a small pillow tied around your middle will make you look fatter." Wynne just smiled when they all turned to stare at her in amazement. "What, you all don't think I've picked up things here and there at my age?" Wynne chuckled. "And since I am the one to come up with the idea, I guess I had better go."

Argus gave a loud "woof!" before bouncing around in front of Kai.

Kai patted him on the head and smiled. "Thanks, boy, I didn't just want to assume you would go too."

"All right then, we need to pack, and Eamon," Kai turned to the, so far, silent Arl, "We need to use the safe house close to Denerim if we can."

It was Teagan who spoke, "I will ride ahead right now, dear lady, to let them know you are coming." Teagan bowed and left the room to going towards the stables.

"Eamon, may I ask that you and Lady Isolde bring the twins to the safe house? I know that you were due to go to Denerim in a day for your monthly meeting with the other arls, banns, teyrns and Anora." Kai kept her face neutral; she didn't want to give Eamon an opening to start a protest. "Also, we need a wet nurse, just in case."

Eamon looked furious, worried and resigned all at the same time. "Yes, dear lady. Of course." He simply continued to look at her. "But..."

"But nothing Eamon. I hate to pull rank, but technically even though I am 'dead', I outrank you. I am the Teyrna of Highever, second only to the throne. And Eamon, if I should fall, I expect you to take care of the twins. No sending them to the Chantry, is that understood?" She smiled to take some of the sting out of her words.

"You will not fall." Eamon made it sound like a command, though he tried to smile.

"I am a practical woman, Eamon. And a realist." Kai smiled again. "Well folks, let's go find us an Antivan troublemaker. Get packed and meet me down here. We ride to the safe house and then Denerim."


	30. Chapter 31

**BioWare owns all but my character's, her dog's, and the master of The Crows' names. : )**

_So our group is now in Denerim, the Gnawed Noble Tavern looking for anything that might lead them to their fun and troublesome friend. I hope you enjoy this chapter. I apologize for the delay in it, cryptography is a complex topic that I had to read up on, and I simplified it a lot, so for any of you crypto buffs, please don't look too harshly. : ) _

_Oh and a special shoutout to Shanda27, I had to use your review in part in the story because it made me laugh. ; )_

_As always, thank you for your support, and your reviews. They mean so much to me. I hope you continue to enjoy. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai slouched down on the bar stool in the Gnawed Noble Tavern trying to act like a drunk old woman. Wynne's ideas had worked, except for the pebble in her shoe – that had driven her buggy inside of a minute. She did however chew on the small onions she carried with her so her breath was fragrant and tended to keep people at a distance. This ploy was so they wouldn't notice that the holes where teeth should be were actually not holes, but black wax over perfectly good teeth. Leliana's love of makeup didn't just extend to enhancing one's beauty, but also came in handy in drawing on wrinkles and moles. By the time they got done with her, she looked gap-toothed, ugly and old. With the makeup, a ratty old dress and holey shoes, not even her own mother would have recognized her.

Kai and Oghren sat "drinking" on their bar stools next to each other. Kai was fake hitting on Oghren and was trying to fake drink, occasionally dribbling most of a mouthful down her front, adding to the wonderful aroma that already surrounded her, while really only drinking a sip. Oghren, whose tolerance was higher, actually managed to drink, and was still sober. Or rather, sober enough.

They were being careful, as they didn't know who from the Crows might be watching the Gnawed Noble Tavern or the room in question to see who might show up. The Crows were not known for being all soft and fuzzy. They had a penchant for torture, even to test new recruits.

Everyone talked under torture, everyone, though it was very unreliable as a source of information. Especially with someone like Zev who'd had it practiced on him from an early age and had been trained to fight it. He knew to tell lies until the pain becomes unbearable and you tell the truth. By then, your capturers wouldn't know which was which. Add to that, someone trained to fight torture would make getting information a long and time consuming process. Still, Kai didn't know what they might have gotten from him or what questions, if any, this Master Vimaro might have been asking or even on what topics. For all Kai knew, Vimaro had just killed Zev outright for daring to leave the Crows. The thought made her heart hurt.

Master Vimaro was the nasty piece of work who had sent Zevran and his fellow Crows, Taliesen and Rinna, on the job before Zev's job for Loghain in Ferelden. His Rinna was the only woman he had ever loved, in complete disregard of his training as an assassin. It was job that led to his Rinna's dying at the Taliesin's hands for a betrayal she had not committed. Zev had watched while Taliesen slit her throat and had mocked her, he said. Mocked her while she pleaded her innocence and told him of her love for him. He believed the lies about her. He had thought she had betrayed not only the Crows, but him. As life had so often betrayed him. When Zev and Taliesen had completed the mission, they had found that Rinna had indeed been telling the truth. Zev had gone to Master Vimaro and confronted him, told him that Rinna was not a traitor after all. According to what Zev had told her, Master Vimaro knew Rinna was not a traitor and didn't care. He had told Zev he didn't matter, either. It, they, he were all irrelevant. It was then that Zevran had signed on for the suicidal mission of killing the last Grey Wardens in Ferelden for Loghain. Zev had confessed to her he had not expected to survive. It was his way of punishing himself for Rinna.

That Zev could love after all the torture and beatings and the training to make him a cold-blooded killer had only cemented Kai's belief that she had done one thing right when she had spared Zevran and brought him into her group. For Zev to be so strong after all he had been through in his childhood in the whorehouse and after being sold into slavery to the Crows, then the man with that kind of heart surely made the world a better place, despite his ability to kill. Maker, if she had caused nothing but death and destruction with her decisions, this had to be one of the few good things she had brought to the world.

She remembered his telling her Rinna's part in his story after killing Taliesen in a Denerim back alley. The same back alley where Zev's true test of loyalty had taken place. Taliesen had offered Zevran his place back with the Crows. Kai remembered her cheeky answer at the time, "That would, of course, mean I would have to be dead." Kai did not know what Zev's answer was going to be then, truth be told. She had gotten to know him, found out what he liked. Had given him tokens as she had all their party, because she enjoyed seeing their faces when she did. It was one of her joys in a horrible situation. He had accepted and enjoyed her gifts just like the others seemed to. He had made plenty of sexual innuendos, and even tried seduction. And, he had acted disappointed when she refused his offer of sex to just be his friend.

Kai had always wondered if the seduction was only part of a plan to later kill her and get back in with the Crows. He had been hard to read, had always kept something back, hidden from her. He was a killer who was jovial, lighthearted and said he took life as it presented itself, asking for nothing more. She had thought he might accept life's presenting him with a way back to his beloved Antiva and the only career that he could see himself pursuing right there in that ally by siding with Taliesen.

She remembered well her surprise at his response to Taliesen, "I am afraid _that_ is not going to happen." She remembered the relief that had washed over her. Her faith in that one crucial decision to spare him had been one of the foundations that had kept her from jumping off the nearest cliff when she seemed to have brought nothing but ruin to everything she touched while trying to fix it. That and her love of Alistair. These two men kept her sane when the world was going into madness and she had wanted to go with it.

And then came the real surprise. After Taliesin's defeat, he had told her his story and showed her the earring, Rinna's earring. Had asked her if his duty was done now, if she would release him. The Crows would think him dead. She had given him permission to go, but had asked him to stay to help her. To stay as a friend. She had not told him how much she loved him as a friend. She had not wanted to pressure him into staying. He had never had much choice in life. She was determined not to take away his freedom to choose in this matter. She had watched his face then, keeping hers neutral, hiding her sadness and the fear that he would walk away. But he had agreed to stay, making a flippant remark as always.

She had never told him that his story had broken her heart, how she had cried for him and his Rinna in camp. How she had cried because he never had. He had buried it as she had buried her pain for her parents and her brother. Buried her tears for Duncan and Cailan and Alistair's hurt over their deaths at Ostagar and Loghain's betrayal. All of these things hidden because she had to be the leader, and she had so much to do. But for Zev, she had allowed herself to mourn. For a friend, mourning was allowed. For herself, it would have been wallowing in self pity. Or so she told herself; it was just easier to mourn someone else's losses than to mourn her own.

So here she was, back in Denerim, sitting on a hard and uncomfortable bar stool, reeking of body odor, onions, and beer, slouching so much her back hurt and pretending to seduce Oghren so they would have an excuse to rent the back left room. She was hoping and praying to the Maker that Zev was still alive. Praying that this time the Crows didn't succeed in breaking him just as they had not been able to do before. She felt fear clawing in her gut that Zev would assume no one knew about the letter, and therefore he had not left any clues, that he might be thinking no one would know where to go or how to start looking for him.

Luckily, Cyril, the barkeep and owner of the Gnawed Noble, and a friend and ally since the Blight, was rendering them aid. He had made discreet orders to keep that left room free until Kai and Oghren felt it safe enough to make their move. Cyril had also made sure to help Kai look as though she had been drinking copious amounts of beer. Cyril was used to playing a part in Kai's schemes, even helping them escape Loghain's men through a secret passage in the tavern. Cyril knew the role he was playing and he picked up on his cue sliding down to their end of the bar wiping down the wood with a rag as Kai pitched her voice high.

"Come on, deary, give us a whirl. You are such a muscular strapping fella' and I love that beard. I bet it can tickle in just the right places," Kai cackled at Oghren. "We could take our beer to a more private place, and you can show me how your height can give a human girl a good time standing up!" She slapped him on the back hard enough to make his beer tankard slosh.

"Well lady, you do have a nice rump roast. Let's go put some sauce on it." Oghren chucked her under the chin with a knuckle of his finger, making her teeth clank together and causing her to roll her eyes. He slapped coins on the bar for the beers and leaned over to Cyril barkeep, "Listen, I got a date, and I'm feelin' kinda anxious, if you know what I mean. I need a room. Back room would be best, I have a feelin' she's a screamer." Oghren winked at the barkeep and smiled while he put more coins on the wood next to the others, including a couple extra as a tip.

Cyril cocked an incredulous eyebrow while putting a key on the bar. "Last on the left is as far as you can get." And when Oghren started to hop off the stool, Cyril playing his part, grabbed Oghren's arm. "Are you sure, mate, you really want to...well...um...have a date with her? The Pearl has...well...less pungent and younger companions."

Oghren squinted at Kai. "She reminds me of my mother. Heh, heh, heh, HAH, HAH!" Cyril's eyebrows shot up, and he grinned. Cyril's assistant barkeep, sweeper, and odd jobs peron, a young thin young man with the unfortunate nickname of "Stump", just blanched and shook his head. Kai hooked her arm in over Oghren's shoulders while he put his around her waist and pinched her arse. It took everything Kai had to laugh and playfully swat at his hand instead of pouring her mug over his head. They made their way down the hall slowly, weaving like two drunks until they got to the last room on the left. Oghren took out the key, fumbling with it a few times as if he was having trouble finding the keyhole. Kai giggled and cackled and made lewd remarks for effect.

"I hope you don't have trouble finding other openings, deary!" Kai was starting to worry that Oghren really was that drunk. They had been at it all day, scoping the place out, keeping an eye out for any overly curious people. Finally, Maker be praised, Oghren got the key in the lock and opened the door. They went inside and locked it behind them.

The room Kai remembered well. She had done a theft job for Slim Coudry here. It had one little sitting room and then the large bedroom in the back. The sitting room was furnished with a desk, bookcase and couches. The bedroom held an armoire, several chests and a bathtub. "Well, Warden, where do we start lookin'?" Oghren's voice was stone cold sober. Kai just shook her head in amazement.

"Why don't you start in here. I will check the bedroom." Kai left Oghren to his search and entered the bedroom. She started by looking in the armoire and the chests, even though she knew the Crows would have left nothing behind in any obvious places. But, she wanted to leave no stone unturned.

Kai heard Oghren come in. "Warden, I found this book." He handed it to her. Kai recognized it immediately. It was the little leather bound copy of _The Black Fox_ she had given Zev as a present at Winter Solstice. He had told her of how he had taught himself to read and write as a child in the whorehouse. How he would steal books off the men who came there and put them back before they left. How, because of that, he had trained his mind to remember every word he read as if he were looking at the page. This was one of his favorite stories; when she had given it to him, his face had lit up. She had inscribed the fly leaf page:

_Zev,_

_My best friend, and cohort. May the adventures of the 'Silver Griffon' be written of as well one day. I am grateful every morning when I wake and every night before I go to sleep that you decided to stay. _

_Thank you, you are a blessing. _

_Kai_

"Where was it Oghren?" Kai's hand shook as she held it.

"It was slipped into the bookshelf, like all the other books. I only found it because there was sodding nothing else as a clue in there, so I started looking at the bookshelf. All the books were standing upright and but this one was lying on top of the others and slightly out. Not so much you would notice. But I thought it looked familiar. This is the book you gave him at Solstice, right?" Kai nodded. "The gold leaf and blue cover I remembered."

Kai handed the book back to Oghren to hold. Her eyes searched the room. There had to be something else here. Zev left the book on purpose. He knew they would come looking after all. Kai decided to search the bed. The cover was clean, it was made up. She felt under the mattress, nothing. _Sod it!_ she huffed to herself. She then started to run her hand between the headboard and the mattress. It was while doing so that she saw a raw spot on the wood of the bed post as if someone had been shackled there and what looked like a drops of dried blood. Her heart started to pound in her ears and her stomach felt queasy. _Oh Zev!_ When she pulled her hand away to get off the bed she noticed it was dusted with flakes of dried blood where she had been holding on to the bed post. But that wouldn't make any sense. Blood wouldn't be high on the post like that. It should be where the shackle was. Kai got back on the mattress and looked more closely at the bedpost.

"Oghren, grab a quill, ink and parchment from the desk and bring it in here! And hurry!" Kai looked at the post and was able to make out letters and numbers written in blood. They were a little hard to read at first, but Kai figured them out. Oghren readied the quill and parchment. "TBF. 10,12,3. 23,5,6. 37,2,8. Did you get that?"

Oghren dutifully repeated the code back to her. "But what in the nug humping universe does it mean, Warden?"

Kai grabbed the book from next to Oghren. "It is a simple cypher Zev told me about once. TBF is _The Black Fox_. The numbers correspond to pages, paragraphs, and words in those paragraphs."

Kai scrabbled to find the pages, the paragraphs, and the words. "Oghren write this down. 'blood.'" Kai flipped more pages, "sorcerer." And again she turned the pages, the paper smooth under her fingertip as she used it to scan the last page, "hideout." The Crows had apparently taken over that abandoned warehouse the blood mages used to live in, before she and her compatriots had killed them all. _Zev, we are on our way, my friend, please hold on,_ Kai prayed."I think our 'date' is over Oghren. Time to get back to the others and call the Scath. We have a friend to rescue."


	31. Chapter 32

**BioWare owns all but my character's , her dog, and the Master's names. : )**

_So join Kai for yet more adventure to try and save our beloved Antivan flirt. I hope you continue to enjoy. : ) This is another long chapter; I suppose again, I could have chopped it up. But, I thought it would take away from it. Hopefully you find it entertaining enough you don't notice the length. Enjoy!_

_I apologize for getting the last installment out at 4:30 in the morning on a Sunday. But I bitten by the muse and had to write it early, so it may seem like I am one day behind in getting one chapter out a day. But really I am still getting out one chapter a day, even with work taking up most of it._

_Again, thanks for all your support. And I apologize to Violet Theirin, I always meant to say thank you for wishing you could pay me for writing this, that was really sweet of you to say. That made my day. All of your reviews make my day, and my week. So please keep them coming and thanks for taking time out of your days to write them at all. You are such a wonderful group! : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai and her group made their way into the innocuous appearing building. It had survived the hordes of darkspawn, like many of the back alley areas. Apparently with an archdemon's intelligence to guide them, they didn't bother with inconsequential locations. Otherwise, darkspawn were mindless destroyers.

The building looked much as she remembered it. It looked like an occupied home, and probably was. The last time she was here, children's toys had littered the floor, but it looked to be occupied by adults only this time. Kai had some Scath hanging out in civilian clothes keeping an eye on the doorway to this building and on the rooftops out front. And since Kai had the advantage of having been here before, she left Scath on rooftops and around the back alley exit at the end of this labyrinthine maze.

Kai went to the bookcase which slid back to reveal a hidden doorway leading to a staircase down. Kai wasn't sure how many Crows from Master Vimaro's cell were here from Antiva, so she thought it best to be cautious. Some of the Scath who were rogues went first, insisting that the leader should not put herself into danger unless absolutely necessary. Kai wanted to protest, after all she was a Grey Warden who had survived the Blight and the horde, but they would not hear of it. Eamon and Teagan must have spoken to them, blast it!

"It is just as well, my love. I know I would have, _if_ I thought you would relay the message," Alistair's voice contained a hint of sarcasm. Kai gave a mental snort. She was hardly defenseless. "Be that as it may, I would not have you join me in the Fade before the twins are at least old enough to take care of themselves," he admonished her, "As much as I miss you." Kai gave him a mental chuckle.

One of the Scath returned to signal all was clear in the first few rooms. Kai made her way down the steps and walked through the doorway into a small rectangular room. Kai saw one unmoving body lying on the floor. She shut off the part of her mind that wanted to empty her stomach. No matter how many dead she encountered, she still never got to the point where it didn't bother her. She supposed that was a good thing. The day she stopped caring was the day she should hope for a crossbow bolt in the eye.

They continued to wend their way through the building following behind the scouting Scath. So far they had met with a minimal number of Crows, all wearing the heraldry of the noble house they served and of Master Vimaro. There had been plenty of traps, but those were all disarmed with ease. Perhaps Vimaro hadn't brought the main body of his cell after all.

This hope turned out to be wishful thinking. The first large room they ran into had been converted into a training room. Targets, chests full of weapons, tables laden with poisons, and all the accouterments of a well supplied band of killers greeted them, along with a large group of the killers themselves, leading to an all out nasty, close-in fight.

Kai found herself fighting two while backed up against the wooden wall. It would have been three, but Argus had knocked the third person down and was savaging the Crow, tossing him about like a rag doll. Kai's mind only had a moment to register his terrified and pained screams before a blade cut through the leather of her armor, making a shallow cut on her shoulder.

Kai grunted and felt the slow seep of blood sliding under her leathers along her arm. Thank goodness she was wearing all black, it didn't show blood as much. The part of her mind that remained detached wanted to giggle. Kai used her boot to kick the man in the "daddy bags," as Oghren had once called them, while blocking her second opponent's blade with her own. The man she so inelegantly kicked in the stones started to take in great gasping gulps of air as his eyes got wide. Kai's boots had toes of Dwarven steel in them. She grabbed the hand holding his blade while he was occupied with trying to breathe and deftly caught her second opponent in the rib cage sliding the captured blade between bones and into her heart. Blood coursed out of her mouth as she too began to gasp, eyes wide. Kai merely kicked the impaled Crow off the blade and jammed it into the man's own gaping mouth driving it up and through his palate into his brain with a sickening crunch of bone. Hot blood fountained over her hand, running down her black leather-clad arm.

Kai immediately pulled the blade out, letting the man's own weight and falling back do most of the work. She pushed herself away from the wall and found herself facing an elven woman with sleek black hair pulled back from her pretty face. She had a small scar under her right eye, which was a pretty green, while the other eye was a lavender blue. She had no emotion on her face, but her eyes were deadly serious. This one would make no foolish moves from the start. This one was cautious. Kai continued to size up her newest foe. The girl stayed crouched, but fluid. She rested on the balls of her feet and kept her shoulders relaxed.

Nope, she was not going to make this easy. "Kill that bitch, Naseel, she is their leader!" Kai heard a voice yell out from behind. She watched the girl's eyes spark. _Aha, this young one has one thing that is a possible weakness, she wants to prove herself and, from the looks of it, badly._ Kai waited circling the girl with the same stance. Kai was older and had more battle experience, and she had no need to prove she was the best, so she waited. Naseel gave a feral growl and struck out when it was apparent that Kai was not going to do so first. With the dagger in her right hand, she swiped at Kai's face. Kai raised her left arm and allowed the leather clad arm to brush off the swing to her eyes, while using her right to slice down on Naseel's left arm where the real threat was. Kai knew that move, she had used it many times herself. Distract with one blade, come in with the other.

Naseel's only indication of the deep cut Kai had given her was a sharp intake of breath in a hiss. The girl did not let it distract her. So, she was very disciplined as well. Kai was certainly more impressed with this opponent than her last two. She also, like Kai, did not let the cacophony of battle along with the screams and moans of the wounded and dying break her focus in any way. For all intents and purposes, they could have been alone in the room. Kai and Naseel continued to dance and feint with each other, and it was soon very clear that they were evenly matched. They were both sporting mostly shallow and some deeper cuts in their little dance, but neither had the advantage.

It was then that Kai decided to take a chance that her opponent was not schooled in the open handed martial arts of the Qun monks. Kai had been taught their style by a follower of the Qun, a Rivanni man visiting Highever who had been caught when the Spring rains had flooded most of Ferelden one year when she was young. The monk had told her that their priests and monks were not allowed to carry weapons, but they had trouble with bandits and even the Tal'Vashoth, those that abandoned the Qun and became mercs. Because only soldiers were allowed to carry weapons, the monks or priests had developed a weaponless fighting style using kicks, blocks, punches and acrobatics to disarm opponents and incapacitate or kill them if necessary.

Kai sheathed her blades and stood watching Naseel. She could see the shock, then the curiosity in the girl's mismatched eyes. Again Naseel feinted with her right blade, Kai merely leapt out of the way of it. While the blade rushed past her front, Kai knew the left blade was headed towards her kidneys, so she back flipped up and over the second blade. When Kai hit the ground, she came up with her right boot and caught Naseel in the ribs with a bone crunching kick.

Naseel's eyes widened in shock as she cried out and started to go down on one knee, but she quickly recovered and turned to face Kai once again. Kai had guessed right, she wasn't aware of this fighting style. Naseel's lips pulled back from her teeth in a feral grimace etched with pain. Still she did not drop her blade, just gripped her upper arm more closely to her injured side. This girl was tough. Kai couldn't help that one part of her mind admired the elf for it. She reminded Kai of herself.

"Yes, another you. Just don't let this you kill _you _while you admire her," Alistair's voice sounded in her ear.

"Huh!" Kai just huffed into her own head. "I have other plans for her, if they work."

"Oh no, you aren't going to do what I think..." Alistair's voice cut off as Kai sprang into motion. She charged Naseel and used her left arm to block the girl's attempt to stab her charging opponent. With her right hand, she aimed an openhanded punch at the girl's chest. The power behind the punch caused more sickening, bone crunching sounds while slamming Naseel against the wall with so much force it knocked dust from the ceiling. Before the girl could get in one gasping breath, Kai had lashed out with her right boot and crunched Naseel's left hand under it, causing her to drop the blade. Kai continued forward and reached out with her left hand, grabbing Naseel's still-armed right hand. She pulled the girl forward and past her before swinging her around by it. Kai's right hand slid into the crook of Naseel's elbow while Kai used the girl's momentum to swing her around like a dance partner. Naseel found herself with her back to Kai's chest and her own dagger still in her own hand held to her own throat.

"Are you quite done dancing, Kadan?" Sten's stoic voice inquired. Kai looked around the room to find that all of her group and most of the Scath were standing and watching her and Naseel.

Kai just grinned at him. "I am if Naseel is." Kai allowed the blade to prick the girl's throat, just enough that a drop of blood ran down her delicate neck. Kai could smell the lavender soap the girl had used and the girl's sweat. "Naseel, I need to ask you a few questions."

"And why should I answer them? You will just kill me anyway, what is the point?" Kai could feel the girl's breath on her hand.

"What if I told you I would rather not kill you? What if I told you I hate your master as much as you probably do, maybe even more?"

Kai could hear the girl's smirk, "And why would you think I hate my master? I am a Crow, I have a reputation. He trained me. He supplies me with weapons and poisons and work. What is not to like?" But Kai could hear a hint of doubt in her voice.

"Yes, but does he give you a choice? Could you walk away whenever you wanted, or are you nothing more than a well armed slave?" Kai asked a softly tapered ear. "I know of the masters of the various cells of the Crows, some are better than others. I have worked with the Crows myself. Your master and his cruelty are beyond even the usual. Is that not true?"

Kai felt the girl nod, "Yes, and he plays with all of us in one manner or another, no matter how young we are. We have no choice." Kai felt Naseel shudder at a bad memory. "So again I say, what does it matter? He will not let me go, no more than your foolish friend, your lover. We belong to him until such time as he chooses to dispose of us." Kai felt her heart beat faster at the mention of Zev. "He will always find me, and his vengeance is great."

"What do you mean?" Kai's voice felt as if it wanted to get caught in her throat.

"Master Vimaro plays with your 'friend' like a cat does a mouse. He toys with him to punish him and to remind us all that he owns us. To remind us who really has the control. He uses Zevran as an example. In this case, he will play until he gets bored and then your love will be dead." Kai's arm involuntarily tightened, causing Naseel to gasp as the point of the dagger dug a little deeper. Kai relaxed her arm.

"Your master cannot hurt you if he is dead." Kai made her voice calm and cold. "I offer you a choice, Naseel. Something you have never had before now. I offer you the chance to join a group of spies and assassins local to Ferelden. I offer you the chance to join such a group of your free will and to leave it at any time you should wish. Or I offer you the chance to limp out of here, alive. Do with your life what you will. If it is to go back to the Crows in Antiva, so be it. We will not heal you, and you will be on your own, but you have my word that none of mine will harm you. If that is your choice, one of mine will escort you so those outside don't shoot you in the back. What say you?"

"Why would you do this?" Naseel's voice held suspicion and...hope?

"Because your life should belong to you, not another. No one has the right to own anyone else. And power can only be given away, not taken." Kai released Naseel and bent down to pick up the girl's fallen dagger so she could hand it back to her. She flipped the dagger over, offering it to Naseel pommel first while looking her in the eye.

The elven girl merely looked at Kai for a moment then took the dagger and sheathed it. She bowed slightly. "I will join you then. I swear on my blood and my life, to serve you until such time as I..." Here Naseel stumbled over unfamiliar words. "Until such time as I _choose _to leave. Until that time, my life is yours." Naseel blushed and made another bow. "As you know, I am Naseel, and you are?"

"Kai, welcome to The Scath," Kai grinned at her. She then directed Wynne to heal Naseel and any of the others that potions wouldn't do for and had those healthy enough to scavenge the room and bodies for any and all useful items. She had the Scath rogues scout ahead again to disarm traps and count the opposition. She was surprised that they hadn't had more Crows show up with all the fighting.

"Ugh, I knew it! You are taking her in just like you did with Zevran! You don't even know you can trust her!" Alistair's voice fumed in her head. "At least the last time you convinced me because we really needed the help. But you don't this time!"

"Calm yourself, my love. I find that extending a hand of friendship works best when it is contrasted to the cruelty they have been given. I have good instincts, do I not? Look how it worked out with Zev," Kai soothed him. "Trust me."

"Ugh, _trust me, _you always say that."

"Yes, and how did that thing with Loghain and the Archdemon work out again?" she asked him sweetly.

"Point taken," he grumbled and then went quiet.

"Naseel, I am familiar with this place, but I don't know how many from your former cell there will be here. And where is Vimaro holding Zev?" Kai watched while Wynne's glowing hands healed Naseel's broken wrist. The elven girl was fascinated by the bones knitting together while she watched, but she answered readily enough.

"Master Vimaro has him here, further in the hideout, in the rooms closer to the Master's bedroom and the dining hall that leads to the back alley. Since you are familiar with this place, the room he keeps Zevran locked in is after that U-shaped portion. We found dog cages in it, he holds him in one of those."

Kai felt her rage turn from hot anger into ice. It was the kind of anger that touched the cold, dark abyss that lived in every soul. The one that would have no pity, no mercy and no compassion. The very ugly, darkest kind of rage. Sister Moilol, the priest at Highever's chapel, had likened it to the darkest shadow called the penumbra, the same color of the Black City in the Fade.

"He brought most of his cell of assassins, and though it is a smaller one, it still is formidable, even though the other masters try not to let him have many of the new recruits. They only give him enough to keep the politics among all the houses of the Crows running smoothly. Since what affects us affects the nobles who are our patrons, it would not do for us to have in-fighting and give the nobles of Antiva a chance to take back the true power of the body politic," Naseel gave a cynical little smile at this.

"I would say you have killed about a fourth of those he brought here. There will another fourth, when last I saw my fellows, spread throughout the rest of the hideout. The other half are still in Antiva protecting the noble who is our patron. Master Vimaro got word about Zevran Arainai being alive and living in Ferelden. He was livid, and embarrassed. He had been made a fool of. He wanted to come here himself, so he got permission from our patron to come and attend to 'personal business,' as he called it." Naseel looked at Wynne and smiled, "Thank you, mage."

Wynne smiled and patted the girl's hand, "You are welcome, child." But the look that Wynne shot Kai was not so friendly.

Kai looked at Wynne as well. "Is she good to go?" Wynne simply nodded. Kai could tell Wynne was dubious about taking Naseel along, but she was willing to wait until they were in private to say so. For now, Kai knew, the mage would defer to her judgment.

Kai rounded up the rest of her group along with those Scath still able to continue. Those who were not able went back out the way they had come in to inform those on the street what was going on. They made their way forwards through the twisting rooms. The resistance they did run into was light, only one or two people, easily handled by the rogues scouting ahead.

_Sod it, sod it, sod it! _Kai fumed to herself. The closer they got to the room where Zev was supposed to be held, the fewer Crows they came across to offer any fight, a situation which led her to believe that Master Vimaro had gotten word and had taken off. The only question remaining was did he take Zev with him or kill him.

Kai's heart thumped in her chest when she opened the door to that room, steeling herself to find the bloody corpse of her dear friend. But the room was empty. The cage was indeed open. A pile of filthy blankets covered in old and new blood was a makeshift bed, and a used chamber pot and a plate of greasy fatty meat sat on the floor of the cage. So, he was alive.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. It took everything within her to buckle down the emotions all roiling inside of her like the Waking Sea in a storm. Fear, disgust and that cold, cold rage all warred in her. Finally, when she once again had her face set into a neutral mask, she turned back to the others. They all took a step back. Her face must not be as neutral as she thought.

The scouts came back with word that they had only run across three more Crows, who had been dispatched with relatively no problem. Apparently, they were young, new, untried recruits who had wanted to prove themselves and whose practice with real battle had not ended well for them. Kai caught one of the Scath whispering to Sten while casting worried looks at Kai out of the corner of her eye. "What is it?" Kai asked as casually as she could. Sten looked at her, his face immobile as always.

"Kadan..."

"What is it!" Kai felt her hands curling into fists. Maybe they had found his body after all.

"They found another room. He is not in it, but I do not think you want to see it." Sten continued to study her with his lavender eyes.

"Show me." Kai stared back at him.

The Scath led Kai to another long rectangular room across from the room they had held Zev in. The blood mages had used this room for spell work, and it had been covered in blood then too. This time it had a rack, a brazier with hot coals and branding irons, and a table with all kinds of implements Kai didn't even want to look at, along with shackles to keep prisoners immobile.

Her vision went dark and the room started to tilt. She put her hand against the wall and bent over and emptied her stomach. She didn't care who saw. When she was done and bile coated her throat, it was Naseel who spoke, "All of this blood doesn't belong to Zevran, lady. Master Vimaro has taken other jobs here in Denerim. He and his lover, Concha, like to torture others. Doing so adds...spice...to their love making. They take the poor, which is very easy to do because of the way Anora rules. There are few city guards, and no one missed them. Zevran he has been healing and keeping alive so he can continue to make him an example. I know it is small consolation, but most of this is from other people he has taken for his sick pleasures."

Kai wanted to be sick again, even as relief washed over her for Zev, along with a goodly amount of guilt for feeling relief that it was others who had suffered so much and not him. Kai turned to Naseel. "Who is this Concha, besides being the sick and perverted lover of your former master?"

"She is a Crow, lady, but not a rogue. She is beautiful, cruel and completely without a conscience. She and Vimaro feed each other. Her skills lie in seduction and the art of poison, not fighting. She does keep several daggers secreted around her person, but she can be easily disarmed. She relies on beauty and charm." Naseel put a hand on Kai's arm. "And she was not here when you raided this place. I believe she went shopping. She should be returning, provided of course she does not spot your people."

Great, an evil version of Leliana. A cruel shop-a-holic. "She won't spot them. They are too good," Kai told Naseel. "Will she use the front or back door?"

"Neither. Master had this place modified slightly. He had a secret door put in his bedroom as an escape route. He is paranoid, and with good reason," Naseel added.

"How much does Vimaro value this woman?" Kai looked at Naseel.

"As much as anyone as cold as he can. She is a toy and a possession, but he seems to hold her above us all. She shares the same sick tastes and the same black heart."

"Then let us wait for the lovely Concha, shall we? We might just have a bargaining chip." Kai smiled a cold and grim smile.


	32. Chapter 33

**BioWare owns all but my character's name, her dog's name, and any other names and tidbits that are my story and not part of the game. : )**

_So we have an unexpected ally, and we have missed our Antivan heart breaker as the nasty Master Vimaro has absconded with him. Hope you are having as much fun reading this as I am writing it._

_: )_

_Oh and my shameless reference to The Princess Bride, for all you fans, like me. "To the Pain!" : )_

_And I know I do this every chapter, but it bears repeating. Thanks! You all make my day. Each time I see the traffic graph go up. Each email, telling me I have another person putting me on their favorite story or author alert just thrills me. And for those taking time out of your busy day to review, a special thank you! Please continue to tell me what you think. : )_

_Blessings!_

Naseel had agreed to position herself on the bed which faced the secret entrance to the room. She would be the first thing Concha saw when she came in, which Kai hoped would prevent her from noticing her and one of the other Scath waiting on either side of the door.

The unfortunate part of this ambush was that Concha could apparently spend hours shopping. She eventually sent most of her group, all but Wynne and Sten, back out to wait on the rooftops and inform the other Scath whom they were watching for, having gotten a description of the woman in question. They were all to cover the exits in case the woman should bolt for it. Sten, Morrigan and Wynne were waiting outside the room. Several times Kai almost found herself dozing. With the adrenaline rush gone, her body wanted to recharge. Naseel was having a harder time, lying on a soft, comfortable bed.

Finally, Maker be praised, a bookshelf slid back and an auburn head peeked around the opening. "My darling, I have found the most exquisite dress maker, despite this being a backwater country. And her shop didn't even smell of wet dog, imagine that!" The woman stopped in her tracks, staring at Naseel who had posed herself on the bed. "What are you doing here in our bed you little piece of elven trash?" a haughty voice demanded of Naseel.

Kai waited until the woman had come all the way through the doorway. "You forgot the smell of rotting garbage." Kai put her dagger under the woman's chin. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am The Scathach." Kai smiled a cold smile. "Naseel, where does she hide her daggers?" Naseel came forward with a small smile and carefully removed the daggers strapped to the Crow's leg, her forearm, and tucked in the cleavage of her bodice.

"You little elven whore of a traitor! Vimaro will make you beg for death, and we shall make love over your cooling corpse!" Concha hissed at Naseel. Naseel only smiled and walked over to open the door.

Kai yanked Concha's head back by her waving auburn tresses. "It is not well done to talk like a sniping gutter wench to those in _my _employ," Kai purred in the woman's ear. "You forget yourself. This is my party. As I said, I am The Scathach. I run the group called The Scath here. Your Master Vimaro has taken a man under my protection. I want him back, and you are going to help."

"You mean that little Antivan son of an elven whore?" Concha laughed. "You would do better to find another lover, dear. I hear The Pearl has plenty to chose from." Kai watched the rosy lips pull back in laughter over perfect white button teeth. She whirled Concha around by her hair and gave her an openhanded slap across the face, hard enough to make her pitch towards the bed. The woman showed feral anger at first then posed seductively while licking the blood from the corner of her mouth. "Really, this is foreplay. All you are doing, _bitch_, is getting me excited," Concha laughed. "You will have to do better."

Kai smiled a tight little smile. Considering Concha's tastes, she had figured it would have to get ugly. But Naseel had provided some insight into this nasty little piece of work. Kai figured her plan would work. Rather, it had better work, or Zev was as good as dead.

Kai worked on shutting off that part of her mind which was horrified at what she was thinking of doing, screaming at her that she couldn't be serious; and tapping into that abyss, the penumbra of her soul, she walked forward and grabbed the woman by that lovely, long, auburn hair and dragged her from the bedroom. Once out in the hallway, she picked her up and once again put her dagger to a smooth creamy throat, walking her back up a small set of stairs and through other rooms until they came to the room with the torture devices.

"You like this room don't you, Concha? I think you and I are going to have a _really _good time in here together. Don't you?" Kai pushed the woman to her knees and then kicked her into the room causing her to fall face forward in the blood on the floor. "Oops, sorry about the dress." Kai gave her a cruel smile from the doorway before turning to Sten, Wynne, Naseel and the Scath with her. "Wynne, I want you to stay out here, no matter what you hear behind that door. Do you hear me?" Kai grasped Wynne's arm. Wynne opened her mouth in protest, but shut it abruptly. Kai nodded to Sten, Morrigan, and the Scath, then at Concha, and cocked an eyebrow. Sten merely nodded and went into the room to stand over the woman followed by the Scath.

Kai took Wynn around the corner where Concha couldn't overhear. "Wynne, I need you to trust me, and to stay out here."

"Why, child? You aren't thinking of doing what I think you are doing? You have always been against such things! How could you...now?" Wynne's voice was rising in decibels.

"I am not thinking of it! Wynne, torture is unreliable, but if you know what buttons to push, intimidation isn't. Concha doesn't know what I am willing to do or not do. But if she sees your face, the game is up. You may know beer but, my dear mage, I could beat you at Wicked Grace easily," Kai smiled to take any sting out of her words.

"I will stay here, then; I trust you, child." Wynne stroked her cheek. "We have been through too much for me not to."

Kai turned back towards the room, opened the door and stepped inside. "Follow my lead." Kai whispered to Sten and Morrigan.

"Really, _princess, _you think this room holds any terror for me? This room only makes me squirm in delight. All the fun Vimaro and I have enjoyed here." The tip of Concha's pink tongue darted over her lips. "Oh yes, this room is so delicious. Including what we did to your Antivan lover." Concha let out a low, seductive laugh.

Kai only paced toward the woman, touching that cold abyss inside herself. She put her face into Concha's and smiled a grin that was all snow and ice. She ran her finger down the perfect and flawless skin on Concha's face, running it down her throat and to the tops of her breasts peeking out over the neckline of her dress. Kai took her time, like a lover, smiling her cold smile, shutting off the part of her brain that was wanting to throw up _again. _She then whipped her hand out and gripped Concha by her hair again, dragging her to a chair with the shackles.

Kai grabbed the woman by the front of her bodice and slammed her into the chair, keeping one hand on her chest while shackling first one hand then the other. Her feet came next, and then Kai grabbed Concha's chin. "Torture is so crude and ineffective. Really, _Concha, _allow me to prove how much more inventive I am. I know we haven't know each other long, but I am hurt that you think me so crass," Kai purred at her.

Kai went to the brazier and used a poker to stir the live coals in it to the surface and then employed the bellows to blow them into life. Kai placed a saw-toothed sword in the coals so it could get red hot. While she did all this, she spoke over her shoulder in a perfectly conversational tone, "Concha, someone as beautiful as you are, and all you can think is that I might whip you or cut you. Such wounds can be healed easily by any mage with the skills, if you have enough gold, and I am sure you have used such talents before. Wounds can be made to disappear as if they never happened. And I am not here to give you pleasure, which is all torture would do for you, considering your _tastes_. What I have in mind is so much more about pleasing _me._" Kai smiled over at Concha while continuing to use the bellows.

Morrigan let out a quiet chuckle while keeping her golden eyes trained on the woman in the chair. "Oh, this should be fun."

Sten, being Sten, simply crossed his arms and arranged his already intimidating features into a harsher look. His silence rolled off of him in waves.

"Naseel told me you aren't much of a fighter, and from our little _interlude_, that much is true. She said you prefer to use seduction and poison." Kai walked back over to stand in front of Concha with the now red bladed sword. "I intend so much more for you. First, I am going to cut off your feet below the ankles. Next, your hands at the wrists. Then, your nose and your tongue. Finally, I'll put out your left eye followed by your right eye. But your ears, your ears I am going to let you keep, Concha. I want every scream of every person who looks at your hideousness to sing in those perfect, shell like ears." Kai allowed a slow, sinister chuckle to escape her lips while she grabbed Concha's chin and brushed her lips over hers. "I am sure the seduction of your contracts will be so much easier with my... modifications, no?" Kai pulled back so Concha could see the abyss looking out from her eyes.

Concha's eyes widened in fear. "You whore, you bitch, you can't do that! Vimaro will hunt you to the ends of Thedas!"

"Oh, he won't have to hunt me to the ends of Thedas. I won't be running. I want him to find me. I figure if I damage his favorite toy, he will want to find me sooner. It is really a simple stratagem, don't you think? You might want to answer now. I am about to get started, and I don't think you and I will be doing much talking." Kai merely gestured casually with the sword. "No? Nothing else you want to say? Well then. I guess we should get started, this could take awhile." Kai swung back with the sword aiming at one of Concha's delicately slippered feet.

"NO! Don't...you...I can tell you how to contact him. We have a code and a way of relaying messages! If you want your little Antivan bastard, you need me as I am!" Concha was squirming in the chair, tears running down her beautiful face. Kai could have almost felt sympathy, except for the knowledge that Concha only felt bad for herself at this moment. Once she was released, she would be the same soulless abyss walking on two legs that she was before. Kai shoved her own abyss back into place behind all that made her human. She looked at Concha with a cold smile. "Well, we shall see. If what you tell me doesn't work, then I am afraid we go back to Plan A, my dearest Concha." And she threw the sword back into the brazier, turning to the door to fetch Wynne and her supply of parchment, pen and ink. They had a message to deliver. The hunt was still on.


	33. Chapter 34

**BioWare owns all but my character's and her dog's names and any story tidbits you don't recognize from the game. : )**

_So, I hope you enjoyed the last chapter. We come the retrieving of our favorite Antivan heart breaker. Please let me know what you think, your reviews mean so much. : )_

_And thank you to all of you who have continued to support and read my story. And thank you to those of you who have added my story to your favorites, my new fans, thanks to you too! : )_

_Blessings!_

Concha's information had been good after all, and Kai found herself walking into a small chapel in one of the poorest parts of Denerim. The chapel was, like so much of the city, run down and dilapidated. As Anora's mind seemed to be spiraling further into madness after her father's death, she was raiding the country's coffers now to build a university in her father's name. Instead of rebuilding the city itself, she seemed to be rebuilding her father with stone and masonry.

This little chapel to Andraste was no different. It had been allowed to fall into disrepair as the homes around it were abandoned when no one could live in them any longer. The statue of Andraste holding a bowl was in residence, but no altar, no pews decorated the small space. The light filling the chapel came from the brazier in front of the statue and the torches along the walls.

When they had received word back from Vimaro about the meeting place, Kai had sent Scath to scout it out and give her the layout of their meeting place. It was a simple, architecturally speaking – a rectangle with a U-shaped inner balcony running along the tops of the walls supported by columns underneath. Opposite the doors, the wall that held the statue had two doorways leading into what would have been the rectory for the priest. The rectory itself had only one exit, and access to the balconies was on the inside of the chapel. The place was so poor when it was built that there were raw beams across a ceiling that had never been closed off and plastered.

Kai had also left Scath around the hideout in case anyone came back to look at the bodies. So far, no one had, so Naseel was still Kai's secret weapon. For the benefit of the remaining Scath and her friends, Kai debriefed Naseel on Vimaro and the remaining Crows in his cell. Kai was hoping that others would be willing to leave Master Vimaro's 'employ,' as Naseel had done. If she could do so, she figured she could kill two birds with one stone. _If_ it were possible, and it was a gamble. If she succeeded, she would not have to fight as many in the battle she was sure was in the making. And, she would have that much more talent at her disposal in dealing with Anora. Kai chuckled mentally. It was almost like old times, trying to amass an army while dealing with and avoiding a foe. Granted, Anora was no archdemon, but she was a deadly little viper, a lot like her father, who was made more dangerous by her deeper slip into her delusions.

Master Vimaro did not know about The Scath, or the Scathach, so Naseel had pointed out that Vimaro probably figured Kai was just saving her lover as Concha had assumed, as Naseel herself had assumed. He would be expecting Kai to bring only a small group for protection, so he would feel he had the advantage.

Kai had overheard Leliana talking to Naseel, telling the elf that Zevran was her friend, not her lover, and that she would be doing this for any of them. She had watched Naseel's surprised, even stunned, expression and her odd colored eyes had sparked, but with what, Kai could not say.

Kai's boots made no sound on the worn rug that ran up the center of the chapel. Kai had asked if Naseel was up for the task of being Concha's escort and thus revealing herself and her defection. Kai was hoping it would help further her goal of having others defect, thereby unnerving Vimaro. Any advantage Kai could get, she wanted to use.

Kai had worn her regular rogue leathers, instead of the all black uniform of the Scath. Let Vimaro continue to think she was nothing but a fellow thief and rogue who had partnered up with Zev. Naseel followed Kai, pushing a tied and gagged Concha ahead of her, giving the woman encouraging pokes with the point of her dagger whenever she started to slow. Concha would occasionally look over her shoulder and glare at Naseel, her eyes shooting hateful daggers at the former Crow. Three of the Scath were behind Naseel, again dressed in regular, if not beaten up armor, looking like the kind of mercenary bodyguards anyone with enough coin could hire.

Kai stopped in the middle of the chapel and casually looked around for the Crows she knew would be hiding in the shadows. They were good, she didn't see them. "So, you raid my home away from home and kill my employees. Yet, you bring me my Concha back. And all in exchange for one Zevran Arainai. If you ask me, it doesn't seem a fair exchange." A male voice echoed off the walls as a shadow from the doorway of the rectory detached itself and came forward into the light to stand in front of the statue. "It does seem a lot of trouble for such a trifling elven bastard, even if he is a delightful bedfellow."

Master Vimaro was as handsome as Concha was beautiful. He had black curling hair and dark eyes set into a chiseled face. His lips were full, but not feminine, and drawn up into a charming smile. His Antivan accent made his voice pitch deep and, like Zev's voice, made everything sound seductive. Unlike with Zev, Kai was immediately repulsed. Vimaro's eyes, like Concha's, had nothing but the abyss staring out of them.

Kai carefully schooled her face into an indifferent mask. After time spent on the road haggling with traders of various races, Kai had learned the one thing you didn't do. You didn't let them know just how badly you wanted something. "Zevran is a valued partner. We have jobs that need to be brought to completion, and he has certain skills needed to do that," Kai shrugged. "We have been paid well, and my reputation would suffer if I left them unfinished."

"Ah, _skills, _yes. And they would have nothing to do with his capturing your heart or warming your bed perhaps? After all, I know how charming he can be," Vimaro smirked at her. "One does not usually go to so much trouble to get a working _partner_ back."

"You mean like the trouble you have gone to? Perhaps we have the same issues with our delightful playfellow." Kai allowed a small smile to curve her lips.

"He belongs to me, but not in the way you think!" Vimaro's face shifted into an ugly scowl as his voice rose in a snarl. "He is _my_ tool, _my_ toy. He is to do what he is meant to do. I own him, body and soul. I have the papers to prove it." Vimaro's face suddenly smoothed back into a pleasant smile that didn't meet his eyes as he made an open gesture with his hands. "He was sent on a job, he failed. For that alone he should be beaten and, if lucky, left to live if only to make up for his failure. But not only did he fail, he killed my other tools, one of them a very valuable one at that. Taliesin was worth twenty of the toys I have left. Add to that he, himself, is a valuable tool, or at least he was." Vimaro let out a low chuckle. "I will admit he isn't very light on his feet at the moment." Vimaro snapped his fingers, and two Crows dragged in a limp, filthy, bloody body whose hands were shackled. They dumped Zevran unceremoniously on the floor. He was covered in bruises, cuts, blood, and filth; Kai could hardly tell it was Zev at all. In fact it was hard to tell if he was even alive, but for the soft moan he let out when he hit the floor.

Vimaro continued, "But more than that, he embarrassed me! He made me a laughing stock amongst the other Crows and their noble houses! Me! For that alone he should beg for death!" Vimaro's voice snarled again, his face a monstrous mask before it once again became the jovial devil-may-care smile.

It took all of her discipline to keep her face set in stone. Her heart began to race, and bile was trying to edge its way up her throat from a stomach which felt as if it had shards of glass in it. She felt her own shadow of the soul trying to break its leash. She knew that Vimaro had meant to test her, to provoke her. It hurt to lock it all down, to present Vimaro with _nothing._

"Watch her carefully, Naseel," Kai whispered to the elf before striding over to Zev and crouching down beside him. Her hooded cloak obscured them both partly from view. It hurt even more to see him up close. Gently as she could, she raised him up by the shoulders to cradle him a moment. His one good eye opened to look at her, and he tried to grin that cocky grin of his. Kai smoothed his filthy hair back and tried to give him a pointed look before she grasped his face and gave him a long and lingering kiss. Kai then gently laid him back down on his stomach so he could rest his hands on his arms. She only hoped he had gotten the message, or the game would be up.

Kai smiled coolly at Vimaro again, "Well, it seems I was too easy on your pretty little playmate, then." Kai spun around, stalked over, and grabbed Concha by her auburn tresses. Kai made a mental note to get her own hair cut as it was getting a little long. She dragged Concha forward and put a knife to her long, lovely throat. Kai watched Vimaro's eyes widen in surprise, not because of the threat to his woman, but because he could see Naseel standing there. The elven woman, being shorter than the human, had remained unnoticed. Kai watched his already olive skin turn almost purple with rage. So, Kai knew what made him livid – toys that wouldn't do what he wanted. Perceived or actual betrayal was one of his pet peeves, apparently.

"You little whore! Did you think this bitch could offer you freedom and safety?" Vimaro's lips twisted, making his handsome features into something ugly. "You only have to look at what she came for to see how foolish a notion that is," Vimaro gestured toward Zevran

Naseel, to her credit, didn't blanch or show any signs of distress. She pitched her voice so it carried the length of the chapel. "This woman is a better leader than you will ever be. With her, I am free. Even if only for a few hours. She gave me a choice; there is power and strength in choice, Vimaro. She is truly strong, and it is you who are weak. She showed me that. And if I die tonight, I will die free and go where you cannot touch me." Naseel smiled a thin little smile.

"Weak? You are nothing! I took you from nothing and made you into a Crow. You are the weak one, Naseel. You could have had real power. You have had a taste of power, the power to hold another's life in your hands. But the power to torment, to oppress, to control, to hold others powerless. That is true power, you stupid little whore," Vimaro scoffed at the elf.

"Power can only be given away, not taken." Naseel looked at Kai as she stepped to stand next to her.

"You are both pitiful fools," Vimaro spat at them.

"And yet, here we are. So, do you want your little friend or not? If not, why am I here?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at Vimaro.

"Fine, give me my Concha." Vimaro held out his hand. Kai pushed the woman forward, and Vimaro caught her and removed her gag, kissing her face.

"Kill her Vimaro! She wanted to maim me! She was going to cut off my hands and feet, and make me ugly. I want that bitch dead! And as for the elven chit, I want to take special time with her!" Concha turned a burning glare on Kai and Naseel.

"Hush, my darling, all will be taken care of." Vimaro stroked a porcelain cheek with one finger before fisting his hand in Concha's hair and covering her mouth with his. Kai nodded at Naseel to go get Zev, but before Naseel had taken a step Vimaro had forced Concha onto her knees and put a blade to her throat.

"What are you doing? Vimaro? What..." Anything else Concha was going to say was lost in a sick, wet, gurgling sound as Vimaro severed her throat. Kai felt hot red blood as it sprayed out and then spilled down the woman's front, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief before she fell forward on the floor.

"Sweet Concha, you were such fun, you shared my _hobbies_. But you gave this little troublemaker our codes. You gave her a way to reach me. That was your mistake, my love." The way Vimaro said "my love" made Kai's skin crawl. His actions, while not unexpected, were still shocking to a part of her brain. Again, Kai carefully schooled her face, shrugging at Vimaro and smiling a little. "And now," Vimaro continued, "We can finish our business here. You really didn't expect me to just let you walk out of here, now did you?" And with that, the Crows who had been hiding in the darkest shadows of the walls and lying on the floors of the balconies stood up.

Kai only continued her own smile and let her voice carry the length and breadth of the chapel. "I would make the same offer to any here that I made to Naseel. Join me. I have a group called The Scath that runs in Ferelden. I can't guarantee the same prestige, but you will never have to worry about the retirement package." Kai grinned more widely and gestured with her hands. "You may join of your free will and leave of your own volition. Your life won't always be easy, but it will be your own. To come or go. If you feel you can't join, then you may leave and go back to Antiva if you wish. Provided you just leave and don't fight for Vimaro tonight."

"And who are you, Fereldan _slut,_ to offer anything to my people? They know how the world works. I own them. And since I count your number as five and since your lover is in no shape to help, what with the shackles and the torture and all," Vimaro gave a laugh at that, "Then it would seem you are the one dying tonight." Kai started to laugh; it started in her belly and burst from her lips causing her to bend over and put her hands on her knees. When she rose up, she had tears rolling down her cheeks. "Brasca! What is so funny, little bitch? Perhaps you would like to let me in on the joke before you die?"

"The fact that a puffed up little toad like you could scare me, _that _is what is so funny!" Kai gasped out. She could feel Naseel looking at her, wondering if she had lost her mind.

"You dare insult me? Do you have any idea what I can do to you? What I have done to others?" Vimaro's handsome face turned purple again. "You slut, you whore, you chit, you harlot, tramp..." Vimaro was absolutely sputtering now, spittle liberally coating his chin in his rage and inability to come up with another epithet to throw at her.

"Strumpet?" Kai laughed in his face again and wiped her eyes. "I would say I am sorry, but that would be a lie. I mean, it is just so hard to feel fear of some stupid poppinjay like yourself after facing darkspawn _and_ the Archdemon. I mean, you must see how comedic this situation is, don't you?" Kai watched while the information processed in his brain.

"You are a Grey War..."

"The Grey Warden, one of the ones on the contract with Loghain? Yes, I am afraid I am guilty as charged," Kai gave Vimaro a cold hard smile, offering him a small bow. "One and the same. And if Zevran Arainai was willing to join me and stay despite knowing the Crows were looking for him. And Naseel is willing. Then, I ask you all to consider is this. Is a man who tortures others just to bring any thrill into his own empty life really a _strong_ leader? Or is he weak?" Kai let that hang in the air of the chapel.

"You lie, the Grey Wardens of Ferelden are dead!" Vimaro growled. "And even if she and these Scath are so strong, then why is she recruiting and why only show with so few?" Virmaro's accented voice tried bravado.

"Oh, did I give the impression that I only showed with four? Not counting Zevran, as you so helpfully pointed out earlier. My mistake, I apologize for the deception. Scath, to me!" Kai gave a yell, and Scath who had been hiding on the open beams in the church began to descend ropes to the balconies and to the chapel floor. More poured in from the rectory as they had snuck in from the back, incapacitating any Crows hiding there. The front doors were opened by Naseel, and more Scath, followed by her friends and her Mabari, ran in.

Vimaro's olive face became a sickly pale green. "Fight you ill bred curs, obey me. Fight, you children of whores and cast outs! Your master orders you!" Vimaro's voice rose like a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Kai watched as the Crows she could see dropped their weapons, even going so far as to take off weapons secreted on their persons. "Guess tonight is not your night, _Master _Vimaro." Kai had a moment to smirk at the man before he gasped and fell forward with an arrow in his eye. She spun to find a Zevran tottering on his feet and holding a bow.

"Not tonight, or any night, I am afraid," Zev managed to get out before he started to fall forwards. This time it was her turn to keep _him _from breaking _his_ nose on the floor.

"Wynne!" Kai yelled in desperation as she lowered him gently as she could to rest in her lap. Wynne came forward, her hands already glowing. Many of his fingers looked dislocated. How he had used the lock pick she had passed to him in the kiss, let alone held a bow and fired an arrow, made her heart hurt. It must have been excruciating, even setting aside what it must have taken just for him to stand.

He looked even worse up close now that she had time to catalog the outside injuries she could see. She wanted to cry. One of his amber eyes, the one that wasn't swollen shut, opened, and he tried to smile at her again. He must have read her expression, "No, don't my dear, dear, frien..." But what he was saying got cut off by a cough as his breathing got shallow and raspy. He was also going very pale under his usually warm, honey brown skin. It was a sickly color that made Kai's heart leap in panic.

She looked to Wynne, whose face was grim as she worked feverishly. "Dammit, Zevran, I did not do all of this to let you die on me! Don't you do this to me! Don't you dare!" But his breath got even shallower. Kai felt tears streaming from her eyes as they had for Alistair, and they fell on his battered face. _Sod it! This was not happening again!_ Kai bent down and whispered in his ear, "Alistair wants us to make love, Zev. You can't die now." She smiled at him through her tears. Suddenly Zev's breathing got stronger and the horrid pallid color started leaving his skin. His one good amber eye opened and looked at her again.

"Did you say 'make love'?" and he smiled at her.

Apparently, Wynne was the only one close enough to hear what she had said to him and his response. "Unbelievable!" The mage just shook her head and laughed while she continued healing his major injuries.


	34. Chapter 35

**BioWare owns all but my character's name and her dog's name. : )**

_Thank you for all your reviews. As always it is such a blessing, and I have to admit to shameless ego gratification that I get each review. You are all so supportive and wonderful._

_Well, we have our Zev back, that cheeky rascal. Right at death's door and just the thought of "forging the midnight statue," as Oghren so gracefully put it once, with Kai kept him from stepping through it. And for those of you who missed Alistair's voice, never fear. There is a good reason he was quiet for the last couple of chapters. Think being stuck in the Fade with a certain someone's mother, who might be giving him hell about letting Kai do what she is doing. Like he could really stop her anyways, but still, she is technically his mother-in-law. : )_

_So join me as we try to keep annoying and undermining Anora, building up to her comeuppance, and putting the sexiest rouge alive back on the path to recovery. Let the games begin! : )_

When Wynne had given the go ahead to move Zev, Kai had Sten carry him back to the stables where they could get their Ceffyls and get him to the safe house out of the city. Wynne and Morrigan followed Sten, along with Argus. Kai turned to the rest including the Crows.

"Oghren, you and Shale get back with Bodhan and Sandal. Get your armor hidden away, wear your civilian clothes. Don't forget you need to have that broken control rod out when you are on the road in case Shale is spotted before you leave the main road to go to the farm hold. I don't want word leaking out that an unchecked golem was seen roaming the roads outside of Denerim and risk letting it get back to Anora." Kai looked at Shale and smiled. "Remember if you come across anyone who is curious, play like the rod works." Shale only sighed and nodded. "And you know the back story of why you have a golem." Kai looked back at Oghren.

"Aye, Warden!" Oghren smiled back at her.

Kai directed some of the Scath to go with Oghren and collect all the items they had raided at the hideout from the warehouse where they had been hidden. Bodhan and Sandal could safely carry all the loot in his wagon making it look like nothing more than things he had for sale. Kai also gave special instructions for the disposal of Master Vimaro and Concha. She had plans involving their remains and speaking to a certain Crow master named Ignacio. Kai had learned he and his brother were back in Ferelden, though they had left before the Blight came to Denerim.

Kai turned back to Naseel. "Thank you Naseel. You and your fellow Crows may stay and help me, if you wish, or you may go back to Antiva. The choice is still yours. I know you told me you would stay, but I still want you to be able to change your mind, especially after tonight." Kai pressed a bag of coins into the elven girl's hands. "Leliana will escort you to the docks. Sten will meet you back at the docks after he drops off my other friends at the stables. He will help any who wish it to book safe passage back to Antiva with a reliable captain we know, he has the coin for the passage. This coin is for the rest of you. I know your Master only pays you when a job is done, if at all, so no doubt you all have nothing to your names." Kai remembered Zev explaining this system when she first found him and he was talking her out of killing him. "I will not have any of you selling your armor or weapons." Kai looked at Naseel and then the rest. "You are free, the choice is yours."

"I did not change my mind about serving the Grey Warden who defeated a whole band of Crows and who killed Master Vimaro. What more could I ask for in a leader, except for that leader to teach me the fighting style she used to defeat me?" Kai studied Naseel's eager face; she looked like a child asking for a sweet. She couldn't help but laugh.

"I think that could be arranged." Kai smiled at her. "Those who wish to stay, please go with Leliana to the docks to send off your fellows. And because Leli is part of the Scath, she will help you all get settled in with places to stay and food before she leaves. Now if you will forgive me, I have dear friend to tend to." Kai strode out of the chapel drawing her hood up to cover her face. Lelyth and one other Scath followed her as an escort.

Kai stopped when she heard footsteps behind her, and she and the other Scath drew their weapons. "Wait!" Kai turned to see Naseel walking towards her. "I am coming with you." Naseel's face seemed set. Kai smiled and nodded; she had given the girl the use of her free will. She couldn't very well stop her from exercising it now. Kai chuckled quietly as they all made their way down the now deserted and dark streets.

They made it to the stables with no trouble. Kai had not really expected any. There was no real law and order under Anora's rule. Decent, law-abiding citizens locked themselves inside when the sun went down. The taverns and brothels, which had rebuilt quickly, were the only real businesses open at this hour. Since they weren't traveling in those neighborhoods, Denerim gave the impression of being a dead city.

The air was soft at this time of early morning, when the sun has been set for some time and dawn is still far away. Her father had called it the 'dark hour of the soul,' the time when most old or sick people seemed to die. It made Kai hurry her footsteps; Zev had perked up after her offer of making love, but she didn't want to test how far only an offer might keep him going. Of course with Zev, that alone might keep him alive even with a dagger sticking out of his heart, the outrageous flirt.

They got to the stable to find Sten still holding Zev while Wynne saddled one of the Ceffyls and tried to direct Morrigan on the procedure at the same time. Lelyth went to rescue Morrigan. Zev looked like a child in the giant Qunari's arms. Kai walked over to them. "He is breathing, Kadan." Sten met her gaze with his lavender eyes.

Kai smiled at him in thanks and put a hand on Zev's forehead. "When we get saddled up, I will ride with him in front of me. Rhia can pretty much direct herself, so I won't have to hold the reins. I will just need you to put him up there. You know to get back to the docks. Book passage for any Crows who wish to leave. Help Leliana get those that stay situated, then start out. The less you stay in Denerim, the better." Sten just nodded.

Kai turned to start saddling her Ceffyl, Luna Negra. Luna was one of Rhia's fillies. It was Zev who had given the Ferelden Ceffyl an Antivan name. She was all black except for a small, crescent-shaped white spot on her forehead. The filly had refused every name that anyone tried to give her, until Zev. Both Rhia and Luna adored Zev and would follow him around a paddock or field if he went out. Kai wondered if it had anything to do with his being a Dalish elf, but Wynne's stallion didn't do the same thing. Kai teased Zev that it had to do with females and his charm. Kai fisted a hand in the mare's mane. _Maker, don't let him die now._

"Naseel, how good are you at riding a horse?" Kai turned to the elven woman.

"I am a good rider, why?" Naseel was rubbing Luna's soft nose while the mare lipped at her face in affection. _Well, that's a good sign;_ the mare liked the girl right off.

"Because Morrigan is not, and I want you to ride Luna, here. Morrigan can ride behind you, which is how we rode together. I need to hold onto Zev. I will be riding his horse, Rhia. Also, these horses are not your regular Chevals from Orlais or the Caballo from Antiva, so this may be a little different from what you are used to," Kai smiled

"What do you mean?" Naseel looked at Kai curiosly.

"Better to demonstrate. Ceffyls are smart, like Mabari." Argus barked in agreement. "Luna, pick up Naseel. Gently, please," Kai directed the mare. Luna stopped snuffling Naseel's face and grasped the elven girl by the front of her leathers and lifted her off her feet. Naseel's face wore a momentary look of panic before the mare put her back to earth again. Luna let out a whinny and lipped at Naseel in comfort.

"I see what you mean." Naseel stroked the crescent white spot on the Ceffyl's forehead, scratching until the mare's eyes closed with pleasure.

"We are going to be traveling off the roads. Luckily, it is a full moon, or we would have to wait until dawn. The Ceffyls work best when given their head to pick out the path. So, just go with Luna's lead, OK?" Kai patted the mare's neck. Kai had Naseel get into the saddle so she could adjust the stirrups. She then turned and gave Morrigan a leg up behind Naseel. Wynne was already on Bran, a big dark chestnut stallion with a cream colored mane and tail with a blaze of white bisecting his big head. He and Wynne headed out of the stable into the yard first with Argus following. Luna went after carrying her two charges.

Kai turned and spoke to Rhia, "Our friend is badly hurt, my lady. We need to be speedy, but go as gently as we can. I will be holding him, so I can only ride with my legs." Kai stroked Rhia's dappled gray forehead. The mare snorted and nodded her head up and down in understanding.

Kai jumped up and swung herself into the saddle. Rhia walked over to where Sten stood and snuffled Zev gently. Kai motioned for Sten to put Zev in front of her. He did so, and Kai panicked momentarily when Zev made no sound even as Sten moved him. But as Sten said, he was still breathing. Kai kept her hood pulled up, but she wrapped her cloak around them both and her arms around Zev. "Be careful, Sten, you and Leli. We won't move to Highever until everyone is together. I will see you both at the safe house."

"It is a couple of days' walk. We will be there." Sten left through the doorway of the stable to the yard. Rhia followed. When they were outside, Sten turned to go.

"Sten, thank you." Kai smiled at him.

"Kadan." He nodded and walked off into the darkness towards the docks with Lelyth and the other Scath following him. Kai watched until they disappeared around the corner, before urging Rhia in the opposite direction towards the city gate. The gates themselves had one of her Scath in the position of night guard. He smiled, gave Kai a crossed arm salute and opened the doors to allow them all to leave. Once the gates closed again and they were clear, Kai told Ria to take them back to the farm hold where they had all been staying. Rhia and the other Ceffyls started off down the road and traveled about a mile out of the city before leaving the road to travel overland.

Kai spent her time just gripping Rhia with her knees and checking to see if Zev was still breathing. He smelled like blood and a privy, and when she sniffed again, like a Mabari. She supposed it had to do with the cage he was kept in.

"No doubt he would tell you that it reminded him of one of his amusing times in a brothel in Antiva. Well, except for the Mabari part," Alistair's voice spoke into her head.

"There could have been a dog involved, you never know with Zev," Kai teased him back. "And where have you been?" Kai asked him. "You have been awfully quiet since I told you I was recruiting Naseel. I thought you were mad at me." Kai heard him sigh.

"For the record, I am not mad. Irked maybe, but you can be the most irksome woman I have ever met. I have been trying to cover my eyes and not look at what you are doing lest I have to explain to your _mother_. You do remember that I am here with her and with other concerned people who want to know how you are doing? And who do they ask I wonder? Oh yes, ME!" Alistair grumped.

"My mother? O-oh, my mother," Kai did a mental squirm. "Yes...hm...well, I don't supposed she really needs to know..."

"To know about how her daughter has been putting herself in more danger than she is in already by bearding a bunch of assassins in their den no less? Oh, and then confronting more of said assassins and their leader? All the while leaving our children, _her _grandchildren, her words not mine, behind to be possibly orphaned? Oh no, we wouldn't want her to find out that. Too late!" Alistair's voice dripped sarcasm. "But you do forget who it is who gets interrogated by your mother, and I am no good at telling her everything is fine and not to worry. Maker, she just stares at you and whittles you down until you beg to confess."

"Add to that the fact that every feeling you have shows on that handsome but dopey face of yours, and yes, my mother gets to know all," Kai retorted.

"But it isn't just that you could lose everything you're wearing in a game of Wicked Grace, my love," Alistair answered.

Kai paused. "I remember the night in camp Zev had you down to your small clothes and then to nothing at all!" Kai laughed at the memory.

"Yes, and I tried to explain it was cold that night!" Alistair's voice pouted, making Kai laugh harder. "Hey, no changing the subject!"

"Sorry, I just meant to say, don't feel too bad. Fergus and I could never get away with anything either. She always found out." Kai couldn't help but give him another mental laugh.

"Oh yes, laugh now, but someone has some explaining to do when she gets back to the Fade," Alistair's voice chuckled evilly into her ear.

"Ha, very ha, always a catch." Then, Kai gave another mental grin. "Just think, it could be you here now, and I could be in the Fade," Kai teased him.

"Oh no, thank you! Then I would have to make love to Zevran. He pinched me on the arse after that game of Wicked Grace, the pointed-eared scamp," Alistair teased back. "I am just glad you, and he, are safe. I did like him when it became apparent he wasn't going to kill you, or me for that matter. And he has been nothing but loyal. I hope he will be all right, my love. I have to say he did spring back when you told him my proposal, the opportunist. You might have to keep repeating it, though, just to be safe," Alistair laughed. "I love you, Kai. Now, just try not to fall off Rhia and break your neck. Uh oh, your mother is calling me." And then his voice went silent once again.

Kai sighed, she missed him so much. She tried talking to Zev, "Zev, Zevran, please dear friend, talk to me." All she got was a low moan. She felt his breath on her hand, and his chest was moving. She had a moment to wonder if this was what it was like for Zev and the others when she was busy being comatose. _Well, it serves me right_, she supposed.

Because they weren't forced to travel the road, the Ceffyls made good time, much better than Oghren and Shale would. The sky was just taking on a pink tinge when they finally got to the farm hold. The house was bigger than the usual farm hold, as it was a minor bann's home. It had belonged to Ser Gilmore's family before the Blight, if she remembered correctly. Kai couldn't remember which bann had it, now. A distant cousin she thought.

They rode into the cobbled yard surrounding the house and up to the stables. Wynne dismounted and went to wake a very sleepy and surprised stable boy. He looked to be about twelve years old and had been sleeping in the hay, Kai guessed, from the stalks of it sticking out of his hair. He had apparently been told to wait for them no matter when that might be. He helped them all dismount, including helping Wynne and Morrigan handle Zev so Kai could get down. Kai went into the house to fetch a couple of more servants and a blanket to make a stretcher for Zev.

He still looked pale, but it was not that horrid deathly pallor of earlier, and his breathing was still steady. Wynne directed them to take him upstairs to the room Kai had used earlier and to heat water for a bath so that they could clean him up and get his outer wounds assessed and tended to.

Kai was exhausted. It had been one really long day and night. Kai's breasts were swollen and very tender. Besides wanting to see the twins just because she had missed them terribly, her body was practically screaming at her to do so for very physical reasons.

Kai made her way upstairs to her room and gently opened the door to find Fiona sleeping with the twins in the bed. When Kai went and gently touched Fiona on the shoulder, the woman started and grabbed for her staff. She stopped quickly enough, for which Kai was grateful, as she didn't relish the idea of being a toad. Fiona jumped up and gave her a hug. "Did you find him?" Fiona pulled back with a smile while brushing back Kai's hair with her hand. "You look exhausted."

"We did, they are bringing up now." Kai had to look down as tears started. "It isn't pretty Fiona. I...would you mind helping Wynne? She healed his major injuries, but he has so many more. I just wanted to get him out of Denerim and somewhere safe." Kai looked at her and smiled. "How are Fi and Duncan?" Kai went over and looked at their sweet faces. Looking at them helped erase some of the ugliness she had seen recently. She touched them, and they woke. When they saw her, they smiled and then started voicing their displeasure at being left without Mommy and hungry. Life was not fair at all!

"Of course I will help. Here, let's get you and them situated." Fiona help Kai get herself and the twins on the bed and get them feeding. She almost wanted to weep with relief as the pressure in her breasts eased.

They brought Zev up on his makeshift stretcher, and Wynne directed them to lay him on the floor next to the tub. They took pillows from the bed and put them under his head until the bath could be filled with warm water. Fiona went to bend down next to him and Wynne. Morrigan had come in with Naseel.

"Wynne, could you make sure the servants get Naseel a place to sleep?" Wynne nodded at her. "Naseel, get some rest. It has been a really long day for all of us." Kai smiled at her, and Naseel gave a small grin and bowed, then left with a servant who would take her to her room.

When the twins were done feeding, she kissed them both on their round little cheeks, burped them and changed them. She put them on the bed and just watched them fall back to sleep, studiously avoiding watching Wynne and Fiona discuss Zev's visible signs of torture. She wanted to be sick all over again, and she was also feeling the effects of a day spent fighting. Her wounds were itching or, in the case of the one on her shoulder where the bandage had moved, burning. She felt sweaty, gritty and sore from fighting and riding. The adrenaline she had called on had taken its toll, leaving her drained, limp and headachey.

Morrigan, who had been crouching next to Wynne and Fiona, rose and came over to the bed just as the last bucket of water was poured into the large stone tub in the room. "I will watch the children. You will not be satisfied until you have helped clean him up and tend to his injuries." Morrigan's yellow eyes gave Kai comfort. "I know you, sister; best get it done so you can have your wounds looked at as well. Do not think I have not seen you get hurt. 'Twas not I who had to dance with that rogue today." She smiled at Kai and laid herself down on the bed next to the twins.

Kai stripped down, removed her bandages, and got into the tub. Wynne and Fiona carried Zev over and placed him gently in the water with her. Kai held his head above water while all three of them, as gently as they could, removed the caked-on blood and filth that covered him. Kai realized early that some of the marks which seemed to be dirt were actually several-day-old bruises underneath newer ones. Restraint marks, cuts, scratches, marks of whips and branding irons – it took everything she had not to throw up again. Instead, her plan for taking the Crows out of his life cemented itself in her head.

She must have looked murderous because Wynne touched her gently on the shoulder and gave her a concerned look. Fiona, though she was far better at keeping her face neutral, also had a slight crimping around her eyes and a certain set to her mouth. Kai glanced down to find the water completely murky, grayish brown and tinged pink from blood. It really needed to be drained and fresh water put in, but this would have to do for now.

Kai smiled and joked as Zev would have done. "I was just thinking how disappointed he will be that he missed out on three women bathing him." Wynne and Fiona both grinned because they knew she wanted them to. They helped her get him out of the filthy water; at least he was cleaner. Kai drained the tub and stepped out to dry off, letting Morrigan put new poultices and bandages on her own wounds. She then got into a shift before helping Wynne and Fiona, who had dried Zev off and were working on bandaging him as well.

Kai held his head in her lap and handed Wynne and Fiona bandages and poultices as they asked for them. She stroked his forehead and watched the steady rise and fall of his chest. It seemed an eternity before they got every scratch, cut and wound tended to. She was just starting to nod off herself when Fiona roused her and had her lift him up so they could slip a sleep shirt and small clothes on him. Wynne and Fiona lifted him off her lap, and Kai went to pull back the bed covers so they could put him in bed. As she stood out of the way at the end of the bed, she discovered dark, bluish purple bruises on the bottoms of his feet where they had been beaten. Kai couldn't control her stomach this time. She went to the window and only had a second to hope no servant was walking down below at some early morning chore before she emptied her stomach of the only thing in it, the water that she had drunk.

_There has been enough throwing up lately, really._ She turned to find three sympathetic faces looking toward her. Morrigan walked over and led her to the other side of the bed. She put Kai in it and with the help of Fiona arranged the twins so that Kai could put her head near Zev's and her hand on his chest with the twins in between them. Then, all three women left the room. Kai only had a moment to kiss Zevran on the forehead before her head hit the pillow and she plunged into that exhausted sleep where no dreams followed her.


	35. Chapter 36

**BioWare owns all but my character's, and her dog's name. And not the Ceffyls or their names, or Naseel, or …. ROFL. You get the picture! And because I haven't said it in while. Thanks to BioWare and Dragon Age! : )**

_So our intrepid Kai doesn't have enough on her plate? She has a kingdom to save, Anora to defeat, and Guilder to blame for it. Oh, wait, that is the Princess Bride (sorry, I couldn't resist, LOL). And now she plans on taking down one cell of Crows, along with its Antivan noble house, and letting The Crows know there is a new game in town whom they will need to mind their manners with if they want to operate in Ferelden, ever again. Oh, and freeing Zev, and the other ex-Crows for good. Can't be any harder than dealing with Dwarven politics right? And lets not forget healing a certain rascal so she can have her wicked way with him. No pressure. : ) Oh and a little ME2 love in here too with a name you might recognize. Join me for the continuing zany ride. ; )_

_Oh and a shout out to Shanda 27 again, beer and onions, what goes in must come out no? : ) And no I am not getting into potty humor, not in detail anyways. You dirty birds. : )_

_And thanks to all for the reviews, and the private emails, and support. Every time I see an email alert for favorites, or reviews, or story alert, it gives me a shameless little warm glow. You all are wonderful fans. And I really appreciate you so much. Oh, and you all help me keep the story plausible and on track. Bless you! I hate to admit when I miss a mistake, but I do. Rest assured, I try and go back and reread and edit chapters, but I miss stuff. Thanks for helping! : ) **hugs**_

_And a mea culpa, for the lateness of this chapter. Work was super busy, and I got out late. Then I had to go shopping for my kitties for food and litter. For cats are quick to anger and will pee on your bed. And then the husband wanted to be fed. GEEZE, who needs to eat when I need to write? : ( So I got about halfway through the chapter yesterday and had to finish today. LOL But on a good note, today is Friday and I have most of a weekend to edit old chapters, and write new ones. : )_

Kai woke when the twins stirred and wanted to be fed once again. She had no idea how late in the day it was. She had fallen asleep at dawn. As she was trying to get everything set up, she gave Zev a quick once over. He was still breathing, but unresponsive to his name or her hand on his forehead. He felt a little feverish; she made a mental note to tell Wynne.

If anything his bruises looked worse. His swollen eye and cheek had turned a darker shade of blackish purple, obscuring the elegant lines of the tattoo there. She could see more bruises under the edges of the shirt they had put him in and the lumps of bandages. Kai didn't look more than that, just thinking about it made her stomach queasy again. Such thinking also tugged at that cold, cold place of shadows inside her. She might go practice throwing daggers or archery or just beating the stuffing out of a dummy later.

She piled up pillows, grabbed the rolled blankets and got first one twin, then the other settled in. It was a good thing that breastfeeding gave her a sense of calm and bliss. Wynne said it was the chemicals released by her brain. It helped her stay centered while she finalized her plan for the Crows. She had left special instructions with the Scath about Vimaro's and Concha's remains. She was developing a better idea about how she was going to use them. Kai would be able to put the finishing touches on the plan after she had a talk with Naseel. She was going to send the Crows a message they wouldn't be able to ignore and an offer they couldn't refuse.

"Oh boy, I don't even want to explain what you are planning to your mother," Alistair's worried voice sounded in her ear.

"Then don't. The Crows like to send their regards; time for them to feel how much regard I have for them."

"You know it is kind of scary when you talk like that, and really hot," Alistair quipped in her ear. She gave him a mental chuckle.

"They are going to find out how scary I can be," Kai told him. "Their days of playing with Zevran are done; they made a mistake by not reining Vimaro in. They are known for never giving up, but they need to learn that never is a long, long time. And perhaps they should learn that there are some things they need to let go of, or the consequences can be brutal."

Kai got the twins re-settled on the bed, stroking their little fat bellies and listening to them make 'ahh' sounds at her and each other. Kai kissed them and played with them awhile before putting on a robe and getting a servant to take them downstairs to play. She also asked the girl to send someone up with some broth and water for Zev. Who knew when he had really eaten last? What had been in the cage could hardly be considered food.

Kai was tired, but could not shut off her brain to sleep, even though she realized she had not had as much rest as she should have. Now that she had a detailed but flexible plan, she was going over it again in her head. There was no way she would sleep now.

Kai went to a drawer in the nightstand and took out two jeweled earrings, holding them up to the light from the window so they glimmered. Kai hugged them to her chest a moment and took out a leather thong usually used to tie up armor and laced it through them. She put them around Zev's neck so they rested on his gently rising and falling chest, before placing her hand over them for a moment.

Kai kissed him on the unbruised side of his face and gently on the lips before sitting down to watch him while her brain went over her plan yet again. She sat that way until she heard the door opening. "Ah, this looks familiar. Except you were where he is and he was where you are," Wynne's voice sounded from behind her. Kai turned and smiled at her.

"Well, I figured it was only fair." Kai turned back and lifted one of his long fingered hands. Other than some bruising, the fingers were all back in place. She simply cupped it in one of hers and rested her cheek on the back of it. "Wynne, he is a little feverish, at least he feels so to me."

"I will have a look, a little willow bark tea may be in order. It isn't unusual after such..." Wynne left the comment unfinished. She just shook her head. Wynne cleared her throat to get Kai's attention and nodded towards the table where a tray of food sat. "Young lady, I will not have you eating like a bird just because he is on your preferred diet of broth and water. You haven't eaten much either in these last few days."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Beer and onions don't mix well. What goes in must come out, and not always with pleasant results," Kai grimaced as she walked over to the table to see what Wynne had brought. The bowl held hot porridge stirred with cream and spices. A jar of honey glowed golden in the sun coming through the window. A plate of sticky buns sat to one side. She smiled and sat down to drizzle honey into the bowl of porridge while stirring it with a horn spoon. Holding the bowl, she turned in her chair to watch as Wynne sat and cradled Zev's head and carefully spoon fed him broth, using a napkin to catch any that didn't make it before he swallowed. "That looks like a long and tedious process," Kai observed.

"Indeed, young woman. Hopefully he won't make me do this for six days as you did," Wynne bit back sarcastically.

"And two weeks," Kai teased the mage. "Don't forget the two weeks."

"I was trying to forget that part," Wynne wrinkled her nose at her.

"He will if he finds out he is resting his head on your bosom. You know how he has dreamed of doing that," Kai laughed at her. "Shall I tell him if he stirs?" Kai asked sweetly.

"Absolutely not, I will never hear the end of it," Wynne laughed back. "Kai, help me a moment." Kai set her bowl down and went to help the mage. "Hold him up by the shoulders; I want to get some water in him. He is dehydrated, and with a fever, that isn't going to help. I need leverage to tip the glass." Kai went to the other side of the bed and crawled across until she could rest him on her chest this time. She lifted his head gently by the chin and held a napkin under it. Wynne carefully tilted the glass, slowly sliding water in his mouth. Kai felt a wave of guilt and gratitude that they had done this for her.

"Twice," Alistair teased her.

Kai just huffed at him. "Hush, you."

"OK, let's put him down for now." Wynne lay her hand on his forehead. "I am going to get a tea pot and my herbs, medicines and bandages, and be right back. You go back and eat more." And with that, Wynne left the room.

Kai wasn't hungry, really, but Wynne would skin her alive if she didn't make more food disappear. So she went back to the table and grabbed a couple of sticky buns, popping one in her mouth to chew on and licking her fingers. She wondered if Naseel had gotten enough sleep yet or if she should let the girl sleep some more. Kai was anxious to set her plan in motion today, if possible, as it might take some time to implement parts of it.

She popped the other bun in her mouth and went to grab the saddlebags someone had brought up to the room last night. Kai had stripped Vimaro's body of any seemingly valuable items while not really having the time to look at anything closely. She had simply tossed it all into a pouch; Zev had been her priority. She turned the saddlebag upside down, dumping out its contents onto the table. A fancy dagger with a wavy blade and a twisted hilt with jewels in the pommel clanked on to the wood. A heavy gold ring with the heraldry of the noble House of Cresconio and Vimaro's House of Crows landed next to it. The symbols of both houses were intricately set with gems. Apparently, Vimaro liked showy. Kai snorted, _typical of his personality_. A velvet drawstring bag with a heavy, round ball about the size of an orange had also been on his person, along with an envelope. The envelope had been sealed with wax pressed with House Cresconio's seal and opened already. Kai removed it from the envelope to read:

_Master Vimaro,_

_I want you to take care of this problem personally. You have my leave to do so, but quickly! We are the laughing stock of all the houses of Antiva. This is unacceptable!_

_I have always supported and enjoyed your hobbies. And I am deeply grateful you helped me rise to the head of my house. But don't make me regret helping to make you, Master. Take care of the problem, make him suffer for both of us. Bring his head back, I demand it!_

_Your Lord,_

_Adulfo_

Kai felt her face getting hot. Yes, her plan needed to be put into motion, today. There would be a head sent to Antiva, just not the one that was expected. Kai put the letter back in its envelope and reached for the velvet bag. Whatever was in it was perfectly round and heavy. She was just putting her hand in to pull it out, her fingertips touching the smooth, cool, polished surface, when Wynne came in followed by Morrigan and Naseel. "My lady, don't!" Naseel leaped forward and stopped Kai before she could take the object out of the bag.

Kai pulled her hand back as if a snake were going to bite. "What in the blast it! Is it poison? A trap? What?" Kai stared at Naseel, breathing hard. Naseel just gripped the bag closed and set it back down carefully.

"No, it isn't dangerous in that way. But..." Kai nodded to the chairs and Naseel sat down. "It is a well kept secret of the Crows. It is a procul globe, a tool we use to coordinate large group attacks or to communicate long distances quickly. When you take it out of the bag, it is activated. Without the proper set of taps, it would have shown the other Crows in Antiva that it was not Vimaro or one of us holding it. They would have then destroyed the globe that is linked to this one, and you would have nothing but a pretty gemstone to sell."

"'Tis magic, no?" Morrigan asked the girl with a raised eyebrow. Wynne shook her head and started water to boil for the tea.

Naseel nodded. "Tevinter magic, made specially for the Crows and only the Crows, per a binding contract. It is a big part of our power to be in many places. There is a special way of communicating with taps and covering it with your hand. The globe has a limited range of vision. It only allows you to see who is holding it." Naseel looked at Kai and blushed. "I had hoped we might contact the other Crows in Antiva, those still guarding Lord Crescenio. I wanted to see if you might offer them the same deal, lady. Technically, all the Crows of Vimaro's house belong to you now, their papers of ownership are yours. That is how houses often get new masters."

"I don't own anyone, Naseel, I told you that," Kai smiled at her. "And I certainly don't intend to be the 'Master' of a cell of Crows. But this could come in handy with a little plan I have been working on." Kai told Naseel what she had in mind.

"You want to do what, young woman?" Wynne's eyes got wide. "You want to destroy the Crows?"

Morrigan just laughed a low delighted chuckle.

"Not all of the Crows. Just one cell and the noble that runs it," Kai explained to Wynne. She walked over to stroke Zev's cheek before turning back to look at them. "For what they did to him, they deserve so much more. But this will do. And it will get a message to the Crows and their Antivan lords and ladies. There is a new game in Ferelden, and they had better make nice, or I will rain down destruction on any Crow that gets caught in Ferelden. And I am very good at raining down destruction. I want them to be afraid of and respect the Scath, and I am poised in a golden moment to do just that." Kai's face hardened. "But most importantly I will free Zev and the rest once and for all. Oh yes, and get a pound of flesh back for what they did to him." Kai smiled a grim smile.

"Lady..." Naseel was cut off by Kai.

"Kai, not my lady." And she grinned at Naseel.

"Kai, what I am proposing is this. You may not feel you own my fellow Crows still in Antiva, but you should direct them as if you do or as if Vimaro were still alive. At least until your plan is put into action. Otherwise, they might be too easily influenced by Lord Crescenio. They have not tasted the sweetness of choice yet. They can have that taste when you do what you mean to do and call them here, no?" Naseel shrugged.

"I would rather not lie to them. That is not the start of a good relationship. Will they believe I am the new master if I show them Vimaro's ring?" Kai picked up the heavy square of metal.

"Yes, Vimaro was never without it, not even in the bath or, when doing other things." Naseel shuddered. "The only way to get it was off his cold, dead hand."

"Or not so cold, dead hand as the case was." Kai gave a harsh laugh. "Well then, I think we need to speak to _my _Crows." Kai gave a snort.

Naseel nodded and took the ring and the dagger. She picked up the velvet bag and reached in and removed the orb. It was a beautiful, pale blue gemstone, like a clear aquamarine with a slight sheen of iridescence. Naseel gently tapped the surface with her fingertips it in a pattern of some kind. The inside of the ball started to look as if it were filling with water, and the iridescence coalesced into the image of a male face. The face smiled when it saw Naseel. She smiled back and then began covering the ball with her hand in quick and slow motions. It must have made sense as the face nodded and frowned. Naseel held up the ring so the man could see it, then the dagger. She then held up the orb so he could see Kai's face. Kai just nodded. The man's face contorted briefly as if he were bowing. "Tell him that I don't want Lord Crescenio to know that Vimaro is dead. He is to tell the others, but they are to act as though nothing has changed."

Kai watched as Naseel made long and short motions over the ball again. "Tell him I wish to see Master Ignacio. Tell him I know he and his brother are back in Ferelden. I wish to meet then in Denerim, the Gnawed Noble Tavern. Tell him to let us know when the message has been received and what the reply is."

Naseel nodded and did the code. The face in the ball nodded and made motions over the ball. "Zaeed says, 'Your will be done, Master.' And he says he is your dagger to be plunged into whatever heart you choose."

"Tell him he will have a heart to stab soon enough, I will let him know whose and when." Kai smiled at Naseel. The girl smiled back and made motions over the ball again. _ Oh yes_, Kai thought, _things are about to get interesting._


	36. Chapter 37

**BioWare owns all but you know the drill... : )**

_Well, well, well. Kai has things up her sleeves that I don't think her mother will want to know about at all, poor Alistair. : ) Question, can you make the biggest, oldest, nastiest assassin group soil its drawers? I think Kai is going to see if she can. Kai is a chess player, let the games begin. : )_

_And thanks to all for your reviews and support. Sadako don't get in trouble at work now! But I have to admit it is a compliment that you are so compelled. You all are so wonderful! : )_

_And a shout out to Night Hunter, your review was so helpful. It was where I was going, so glad I wasn't off base. And I am using something from your review, so thanks so much! : ) You all rock my world!_

_Blessings!_

Much to the annoyance of her compatriots, who had all finally straggled back to the safe house, Kai was right back in Denerim. Furthermore, she was back in the Gnawed Noble Tavern, this time in the room where Master Ignacio had once assigned her jobs when she was making coin for the army she had been raising. At least this time there were no hard bar stools, smelly clothes, or onions and beer.

Kai found it delightfully ironic in a twisted-and-dangerous-game sort of way. She smiled behind the black cloth attached to the hood of her black cloak. The cloth covered the lower half of her face when she pulled up the hood, which she done despite the roaring fire behind her. She was dressed in the black leathers of the Scath. She had every intention of keeping her identity hidden until the maximum moment of impact, since she and Ignacio had met before. Kai felt it was just one more advantage to unbalance him and keep the tally in her favor.

Kai, Leliana and three Scath were in the room. Leli and two of the Scath were visible, one was not. Since she had called this meeting, she figured it was her prerogative to show early. She had the chest with her 'gift' for Ignacio sitting beside the empty chair waiting for him, her booted foot resting on it. Kai heard a knock on the door, and the Scath named Jarren, one of Vimaro's former Crows, went to greet Ignacio and lead him in. Kai had been amazed. Not one of the Crows had wanted to leave. In fact, all had become Scath and, Leli said, without hesitation too.

Ignacio looked much as Kai remembered him. His receding hairline was shaved close to a well shaped head, his blue eyes were intense and observant. He was still dressed in a rich merchant's outfit. In fact, he and his brother posed as rich merchants, as indeed they were. But mostly, they were Crows and assassins. So, Ignacio was a dangerous man. Add to that, he was master of a cell of Crows working for the oldest noble house in Antiva, the House of Serracino. To become a master, Ignacio had to be the best, but at least he wasn't a walking abyss on two legs like Vimaro had been. Oh, he was cold and ruthless, he had to be. However, he wasn't a complete monster, which is why Kai was giving him the offer she had and not another master. How many were like Vimaro, and how many were like Ignacio? Better the enemy you know than the one you didn't, her father always used to say.

"And still does," Alistair's voice said into her ear.

Kai groaned. "You haven't been being interrogated by him, too?"

"No, your father takes what you get up to much better than your mother does. He is actually proud and calls you his 'fierce girl.' It drives your mother loop dee loo. I think he does it partially to take the heat off of me, bless him," Alistair's voice chuckled. "I really like him, you know."

"He really likes you too, apparently, if he is willing to draw Mother's ire for you." Kai gave a mental laugh.

Kai broke off her exchange with Alistair when Ignacio and his fellow Crows walked into the room. The Crows flanked their master and continued to do so as he sat down in the chair in front of Kai, facing the fire. Kai pitched her voice lower, "Greetings, Master Ignacio. I am the Scathach, and I run the Scath here in Ferelden. As you have obviously heard, I have made most of Vimaro's Crows disappear while they were visiting our fair city." Kai allowed herself a smile that Ignacio could only see by the crinkling of her eyes.

"Yes, when I got the message from Zaeed, I had to admit I was..." Ignacio paused as if looking for the right word, " Intrigued. So here I sit, curious, which is usually a dangerous thing for those in our positions, no?" Ignacio shrugged slightly.

"Ah, yes it can be. But sometimes it can bring, certain rewards?" Kai rose from her seat to walk to a table where a smaller chest sat. She opened it. The interior of the box had been fitted in velvet to cradle four, mouth-blown, full-bellied glasses and a beautifully decorated brown bottle. Kai removed the bottle and handed it to Ignacio. "Please inspect the bottle, Master Ignacio. I want you to be comfortable that I have not broken the seal, nor are there any puncture marks. I have no intention of poisoning you, but with our work..." Kai lifted an eyebrow.

Ignacio dutifully took the bottle and gave it a close examination. "I doubt you would have called for me to meet with you, dear lady, if you had only intended to poison me." He gave her a chuckle while handing it back. "Especially not if that is the Calvados apple cognac, I think it is. It comes from Orlais and is very expensive. I am honored." Kai smiled so he could see her eyes crinkle again above the black veil. Kai broke the wax seal on the bottle's cork and popped it open so the smell of smoked wood and apple wafted to her nose. She turned and pulled out two of the glasses from the chest. She poured the smoky, amber liquor and turned to hand Ignacio his glass.

He took his glass and Kai watched his eyes widen slightly. The glass was empty, save for a woman's well preserved finger wearing a ring with the heraldry of the noble House of Cresconio and the House of Crows. It was a daintier version of the ring Kai had in her pouch at present. "Oh my, I am so sorry Master Ignacio. How impolite of me and what a terrible hostess I am. I gave you a dirty glass. Please, take mine." Kai reached for his glass while holding out the other with the amber liquor in it. Ignacio removed the finger before handing the glass back to Kai and taking the proffered one. He calmly held the finger and inspected the ring closely, even removing it so he could turn it in the firelight.

Kai poured yet another glass of the cognac and got a burning taper from the fireplace. She held out the taper to Ignacio who smiled and swirled liquor in the belly of his glass while holding it over the flame to warm it. When he was done he sniffed the glass before taking a sip. "Ah, wonderful. Truly a product of the Maker, no?" Kai smiled as she repeated his actions with her own glass before throwing the taper into the fire and removing the veil from her face, then turning around and sitting back down again.

Ignacio's eyes got wider this time when he saw her face lit by the fire before it was once again shadowed as she returned her chair. She casually propped her booted foot on the chest next to Ignacio once again. "Warden, so good to see you again." His voice sounded casual with an undercurrent of surprise, wariness and respect. Kai saluted him with her glass before sniffing the brandy and then taking a sip. It tasted of honey, apples and smoked wooden barrels. It also burned her mouth and all the way down her throat before creating a pleasant little explosion of warmth in her belly that spread throughout her body.

"We had always hoped to recruit you to our cell of Crows, but I see we should have guessed that one as talented as yourself would not serve, but lead." Ignacio grinned a real smile this time and downed the rest of his cognac. He cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head towards the brandy on the table. Kai merely smiled and nodded. "So, you have defeated the nasty, ophidian Concha. Brava!" Ignacio smiled and poured more of the liquor into his glass going behind her to get a new taper. "You do realize that this means Vimaro will hunt you down? He does not appreciate someone who interferes with his toys, and you made a good number of them disappear, a formidable job indeed. In addition, Concha was the favorite among his toys. They shared certain..."

"Certain interests?" Kai interrupted with a smile. "Yes, I am aware of their extracurricular activities. But what if I were to tell you, Master Ignacio, that Master Vimaro will not be a problem for me?" Kai smiled at him.

"I would say you are very brave, which I know you are, but I would also tell you that Vimaro is unhinged," Ignacio gave a little chuckle. "Even more unhinged than most people have to be to do what we do, dear lady."

"And what if I told you that not only will Master Vimaro not be a problem, but that I am poised to take out one of the oldest noble houses in Antiva?" Kai sipped her brandy again letting the burn swirl in her mouth as the flavor of smoky apples and honey burst in the back of her throat. Kai twirled the glass casually holding it up so the firelight turned the amber liquid gold, tinged with orange flame.

Ignacio came back around her chair, blowing out the taper by shaking his hand rapidly while scrutinizing Kai's face to see if she was telling the truth. She met his gaze squarely while cocking an eyebrow at him and allowing a small smile to play over her lips. When he saw she was not lying, he looked disturbed.

"Our way of government has been in place for almost a thousand years. The vacuum of power such a fall would cause...its destructive power would be incalculable. If you destroy a cell of Crows and the noble house it serves, you could cause anarchy, chaos. There would be blood running down the streets in rivers turning the sea crimson." Ignacio's normally calm demeanor was the most alarmed she had ever seen. The man paced back and forth. Even his Crows gave each other wide-eyed looks.

Kai took out Vimaro's ring from her belt pouch and held it up to the firelight for Ignacio to see. "I assure you, Vimaro is no longer an issue." She kicked the chest next to the chair to draw his attention to it. Ignacio went to the chest and picked it up with effort at its weight. He sat it in his chair and opened it, pulling out a huge glass jar sealed with wax so its contents wouldn't leak. The liquid glowed golden amber, much like the brandy, but the liquid was decidedly more viscous. And in the thick golden liquid sat Vimaro's severed head with the one staring eye and one bloody hole where the other should have been, glaring out at Ignacio. He stared at it for a long moment before putting it back in the chest and setting the chest back on the floor. Kai just sipped her brandy and watched as Ignacio slumped back into the chair in front of her.

"I am afraid that is not all the bad news I have to share, Ignacio. You should steel yourself." Kai reached forwards and pressed Ignacio's brandy glass back into his hand. She then rose and grabbed the bottle from the little chest and poured a generous dollop into his glass, almost filling it. "Would you like me to get a taper?" she inquired sweetly. Ignacio shook his head and took a generous swallow.

Kai sat back down and drew out the velvet bag from her belt pouch. Setting her own glass on the arm of the chair, she reached in and pulled out the procul globe, or "far orb," as Naseel had told her it was called. She held it out for Ignacio to see. She tapped the pattern Naseel had taught her onto its surface. She and Ignacio watched as it looked as if it filled with water and the iridescence coalesced into the face of Zaeed again. Kai smiled at the image and then held the globe out to Ignacio so Zaeed could bow to him. Kai then did a series of short and long hand motions; Zaeed's grin widened, and he bowed again. She finally tapped the orb, making the "water" recede and Zaeed's face go away. Kai started doing tricks with the orb, rolling it up her arms and back to her fingertips with dexterous rogue hands. Up and back again, mesmerizing Ignacio who was looking positively pale now.

"As I understand it, these globes are not only handy, made for and used exclusively by the Crows, but each house also has its own code to use when communicating on them. It makes it difficult for one house to know what another house sent as a message. So, you have no idea what I just told Zaeed to do." Kai gave Ignacio one of her most winning smiles. "I could have told him to kill Lord Cresconio. Or I could have given him a grocery list." Ignacio just stared at her with a look of horror. "I also understand that I am now master of Vimaro's cell of Crows. They belong to me. _All_ of them. That also means certain Crows throughout Thedas. Ones with fingers in very big and very involved pies, all over the globe. Some of them even working on projects with other houses? I could use this to call all of them to me, here. And they would have to come, no? Abandoning said projects." Kai made tsking noises.

Ignacio looked positively sick now. "Granted, you could _try_ and kill me to stop me." Kai sipped her brandy again before slipping the globe back in its bag and into her belt pouch. "Please notice that I said _try,_ not do. But should you even manage to succeed, you would have no idea what plans I have set in motion or what orders I have already given. You see, I didn't kill all of Vimaro's Crows. Hardly any, in fact. I have given proper burials to only seven. They were collateral damage when I raided Vimaro's hideout here in Denerim. Unfortunate, but necessary damage, alas." Kai set her glass down and steepled her fingertips in front of her chest. She gave him a moment to digest all she had told him.

"But, what if I told you I do not wish the destruction of Antiva? What if I told you I have a proposal to help cement both our bases of power, even broaden them?" Kai smiled at him over her hands before reaching for more of that magnificent cognac. Ignacio gulped his entire glass down and indicated that she should fill it again.

"I would say, dear lady, 'What do you propose?'" Ignacio took another big swallow of what she had poured into his glass.

"What I propose is this. Your cell and your noble's house will be the ones to negotiate a contract. A contract with a thousand-year term with all the Crow cell and noble houses. Perhaps even a four-hundred year contract. This contract will cement an alliance between Antiva and Ferelden. It is a contract that will allow Crows to operate in Ferelden with certain quid pro quos. One of which would be that no Crow take a job which might put them in conflict with the Scath. It is a contract which also changes the way the Crows get recruits. No more slavery, Ignacio, none. There are plenty whose lives are hard enough who would be fine with joining your ranks of their own free will. There are even those who will join because they just enjoy what you do. They should be able to leave anytime they wish to do so." Kai shrugged and smiled again. "The way you all have been doing business has to change. I propose that your cell and your noble's house be the catalyst for that change."

"But my lady, the other houses will never agree to it!" Ignacio was sweating.

"Oh, but they will agree to it. Or I will bring all of Antiva crashing into the sea." Kai sipped delicately. "Your cell and its noble will just have to be extra convincing, no? And if any of the other houses even think about raiding the house of Cresconio to attempt a 'rescue,' I will have Adulpho's throat slit before they can get to him. Vimaro's cell has produced exceptional Crows, I will say that for his unbridled cruelty." Kai's mouth straightened into a grim line.

Ignacio gulped more cognac and asked for yet another refill. "I really hate to do this to you, Ignacio, but I must ask for more." Kai handed him the bottle, and he uncorked it and drank straight from the bottle. "I want all the papers for my Crows; they belong to me, and I am not going to Antiva to get them. You can understand why." She smiled again. "And the word is to go out, Zevran Arainai is to be left alone, as are all my Crows. They are Scath now, and with the new contracts I am anticipating from all the houses in Antiva, that will be part of and parcel of our agreement. Still, I thought I should expressly make this point so that there is no...confusion." Kai made her voice very cold and very hard.

Ignacio continued to take swigs from the bottle and was looking as if he were starting to sway a little. "Also, part of the contract will have House Cresconio absorbed by House Serracino. And when I say "absorbed," Ignacio, I mean that I want proof that it and Lord Cresconio have been brought firmly under Serracino's control_._ Proof that I can hand to one Zevran Arainai. But think on this, old friend." Ignacio shuddered slightly at that word. "Your house will be the savior of Antiva. I expect that you can negotiate some bonuses and perks, no? Subject to my approval, of course. Oh, take Concha's ring and Vimaro's head with you. Show them to the representatives of the other houses, they should help the negotiation process. I will keep Vimaro's ring as a trophy for Zevran."

"The head is in a jar of honey, in case you were wondering." Kai smiled and rose. She clapped her hand on Ignacio's shoulder. Ignacio looked startled. "Yes, I know it is an ostentatious display of wealth considering how expensive honey is. But it retards rotting, such that if Antiva lives another thousand years you could eat that honey then. Not that I would recommend it of course, considering what has been sitting in it. Another small message. I will spend what it takes, do what it takes. Never forget that," Kai gave him another icy smile.

"It might also help the peace process if you tell them this. For what Virmaro did to Zevran, it took everything in me not to seek the ultimate revenge and watch all of Antiva burn. And one false move, one little thing that causes me to look at what he did to Zevran a little more closely – whether it be dragging their feet or trying any tricks – and I will set a firestorm into motion with a mere flick of my fingers across my procul globe." Kai grabbed Ignacio's chin and forced him to look her in the eyes as she let the abyss come to the surface. "I am so very tempted, Ignacio. I would love to have a reason, it won't take much of one. Tell them that, won't you?" Kai shuttered the abyss and shoved it back down again. She let his chin go and clapped him on the shoulder again.

"Cheer up, all may yet be very well. Oh, you may keep the cognac. I have more. Vimaro was absolutely addicted to the stuff apparently. Just leave word with the barkeep here at the Gnawed Noble and with Sanga at the Pearl when you have word back. I have Scath everywhere, they will let me know." Kai saluted him and started to walk to the door. The Scath hiding in the tub emerged to follow her with Leliana and the remaining two Scath falling in behind. Kai turned at the door. "Oh, and Ignacio?" Kai thought the man was going to have a heart attack. "Relax, I was just going to say I look forward to my discount at your brother's booth in the square here." Kai's laughter followed her out of the door into the tavern hallway.


	37. Chapter 38

**BioWare owns etc etc.. : )**

_So, Kai put the thumb screws to one of the Thedas's most feared groups of special forces. The way they govern their country. Not bad for a girl who started off being threatened by Anora and almost poisoned to death. While she waits for The Crow's answer to her deal, they are still nursing a certain Antivan heart breaker back to health and one of Anora's crazy plans comes to their attention that needs addressing._

_Another shout out to Night Hunter MGS, using yet another review quote, because it was so funny and fits here (not the personal email idea you sent yet, that is soon). So, thank you!. : )_

_Thank you all for your reviews and favorites and author alerts. I never get tired of saying it, so I hope you don't get tired of reading it. You are all so wonderful! And I love putting the things you have given me in reviews, into the story too. Adding them help make the story richer. You all rock my world. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai sat by Zev's bedside reading out loud to him from the book about The Black Fox she had given him on Solstice. He was still unconscious, but at least the fever was gone. Kai felt edgy. Zev was still down and out, and she was having to wait for word back from the Crows. When she had voiced her worry about how long Zev was staying unconscious to Wynne, the mage pointed out that Kai had taken six days and had endured considerably less trauma to her body and different trauma to her psyche. Zev was only on day five. "It isn't all bing, magic did it, and it's done, dear. I can fix the major things, but the rest just needs time."

So here she sat, reading aloud to him during the day when the others weren't forcing her to play chess, cards, or to go outside and get some air. Or, when she wasn't training Naseel in the martial art of the Qun. Well, Naseel and those of her former Crows turned Scath. She snuggled next to him at night hoping he would, on some level, sense her presence and know she wasn't going anywhere. Know that he was safe.

She supposed they had all felt the same way about her when she went through this. Granted, they hadn't been waiting on word from one of Thedas's deadliest run governments. Kai kept using the procul globe to check with Zaeed. So far, the other houses and their Crows were taking her at her word; that she would, if they did anything, bring all of Antiva down in one bloody, firey mess. This belief was very, very good. Kai wasn't so sure the abyss in her wouldn't take over and do it. Every time she helped change Zev's bandages; every time she looked at the bruises, which were finally changing color, lessening in intensity, her fingers would stoke the outside of the velvet bag holding the globe. Antiva had better be grateful when this was all over. She only hoped Master Ignacio and Lady Serracino brought that point eloquently and clearly home.

She knew it would take time for Master Ignacio to physically travel back to Antiva. After all, it had only been three days since she spoke to him. She knew even if he had the fastest ship at his disposal, it could take at least two days, maybe three, to cross the Waking Sea to the Free Marches' seaside city of Ostwick, provided the currents were in his favor and the weather as well. This was Spring, so the weather was iffy. From Ostwick, Ignacio had a choice. Travel inland to Antiva, which he would only do if he really wanted fire and brimstone to rain down on his home city. His best option would be to stay on or secure another fast ship following the coast past several ports, which included Wycome and Rialto, into Rialto Bay and lovely Antiva City. Kai also figured Ignacio had spread the word via his own procul globe about what was going on.

She did not envy Ignacio. She only hoped the man didn't have ulcers before he got home. She liked Ignacio on one level. He was not Vimaro, but he was one of the Masters who had looked the other way when Vimaro, the walking abyss, had a free hand with his cruelty even, and especially, against his own Crows like Zevran and Rinna. As far as Kai was concerned, the Crows and their nobles had sown the seeds of their own destruction by playing along to get along. It was one thing to tap the abyss for what you had to do, it was another thing entirely to let someone who had not only let the abyss swallow him whole but probably actively sought to do so run a business where murder was the product. Such monsters needed to be fed constantly, and they only grew, drawing attention to themselves and their 'establishment.' The Crows were business people at the heart of it, brokers of a service, even if that service was death. They should have done a cost/benefit analysis of the likes of Vimaro.

Kai set the book down in frustration. "It is not nice to stop reading in the middle of a sentence, my dear Warden," Zev's voice sounded hoarse and raspy, and his eyes were still closed while he spoke. "Also, you should change the voices so you make the characters come alive, no?" She saw a slight smile form on his lips.

"People who are comatose have no reason to complain." Kai wanted to hug him, but she refrained as he was still a mass of healing injuries. She opted, instead, to stroke his cheek and forehead. He opened his pale amber eyes to look at her. The swelling of his injured eye had finally gone down enough so that he could open it to a wide slit. She grinned at him, but she couldn't help the tears in her eyes either. "I was about to start describing sexual positions in your ear just to see if that would wake you up."

"That you may still do, my dear Warden. We can make a game of it. Has Zevran done that position? There is a certain book that I recommend you use, 'The Rose of Orlais.' I am sure you would run out of positions, my dear Grey Warden, before I stopped answering yes." Kai laughed and kissed him.

"Do you think you can sit up?" Kai stroked his cheek. "Maybe eat something? It is about feeding time for you anyway."

"You make it sound as if I am one of your babies," Zev smiled at her.

"Well, you have been cradled in several bosoms while we poured broth down your throat." Kai teased him. His amber eyes opened wider and his grin got more cocky.

"Even the delectable Wynne's?" his voice pitched higher in hope.

"She will kill me if she finds out I told you. But yes, your head has even been cradled on her bosom." Kai laughed.

"I should pretend to still be unconscious, no?" Zev chuckled as he looked at the doorway.

"No, you should not, young man!" came Wynne's voice from the doorway as she carried in a tray with a bowl and cup on it. She grinned at Kai and Zev as she came forward.

"But my dear, beautiful Wynne, I could still die, I feel so poorly. Would you want me to pass into the Fade without having first-hand knowledge of that magnificent bosom of yours?"

"I am afraid, young man, it will just have to remain a mystery for you. That and the fact you missed out on being bathed by three women." Wynne put the tray on the nightstand and went to help Kai prop him up against the pillows.

"Now you are just being cruel, lovely Wynne. Typical of women." Kai laughed at him as she grasped him gently under his arms and lifted him to a sitting position on the pillows Wynne had arranged.

"Besides, I believe you had a much more enticing and more suitable offer from Kai in the chapel." Wynne winked. "I am going to get some bread to go with that broth. Maker, this is so familiar. And I will tell the others that you are awake. They keep asking for status reports when they aren't in here." With that, Wynne turned on her heel and left the room shutting the door.

Kai felt her face flaming and looked down. Her eyes settled on the tray, and she grabbed it like a shield and put it on Zevran's lap. She grabbed the napkin and lay it on his chest, but she didn't look at his face. She was blushing so hard her ears were burning uncomfortably. Kai found herself as awkward as she had been with the adolescent stable boy, Joss, with whom she had lost her virginity. She mentally cursed herself a fool and went over to the table to gather the items she had taken off Vimaro's body and to give herself time to calm down. She strode back over to the bed and sat herself in the chair again, but still couldn't look Zev in the eye. She found herself looking at his neck or the napkin or his chin.

"So, I took these things off of Vimaro. I thought you might like to have this in particular." Kai held up the heavy square ring. "It really belongs to you, as do the Crows in his employ. I mean, I didn't kill him, you did, but the Crows think I did it, and I had to let them because you were comatose..."

"My dear Grey Warden," Zev laughed, "Did you offer to make love to me because you thought you wouldn't have to make good on it?" She bit her lip and blushed more, but she shook her head.

"No, I couldn't think of anything else. I was watching my best friend die. I couldn't stand it, it was like Fort Drakon all over again. I just blurted it out." Kai felt the tears running down her cheeks again. "I really didn't know what else to do. You always make sexual innuendo, so I made an offer I thought you couldn't refuse." Kai tried to joke. "It was either that or offer you Wynne's bosom for a month as a pillow." Kai still found she couldn't quite look at him.

"Look at me, my friend." She looked up to see him smiling gently at her. "I will admit, the idea is enticing. But at the moment, I assure you I am in no shape to do anything more strenuous than eat broth, though I would appreciate it if you did not let that get around, as I have a reputation to maintain." He winked his good eye at her and grinned harder, making her blush deeper. He took up the spoon and started to sip broth. "But what I believe you said was that Alistair wanted us to make love together. Did he tell you this before he died?" Kai cursed herself as a barrel full of fools. She had said that, hadn't she? And dammit Zev, even dying, was an observant rogue.

So Kai explained to Zev about hearing Alistair's voice and how Alistair had helped her at the funeral and what had happened in the Fade when she was technically dead. She told him how Morrigan had saved her from using his dagger after all because Alistair had known her plans and fetched the witch. And then she told him the hardest part, about Alistair saying that she and Zev should get together. She couldn't even say "make love" this time. She was afraid if she did her head would explode with all the blood rushing to it yet again. He didn't say anything for the longest time, so Kai ventured a look. Zev had gone completely still, and his face was unreadable. Then, he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"So, I am your best friend, am I, Warden? But you tell me that you hear your dead lover's voice only now? And then you tell me that he would like me to peddle my services to you, as an Antivan whore perhaps? Because I appreciate the art of love, I can be used to pleasure you and then kill for you too? I told you once, Warden, that I only removed my clothes on an amateur basis." His voice was flat.

Kai felt her face go pale. "Oh Zev, I didn't mean it that way at all! I didn't tell you about hearing him, because I..."

"Because you didn't trust me." Zev's amber eyes were cold. "It is that simple, is it not?" He continued to stare at her pointedly. Kai felt as if he had slapped her, and she felt ashamed because he was right. She hadn't trusted him or the others with this. She was no better than all the others in his past. She had betrayed him too, even in this small way. The others would probably forgive her, but for Zev, she was just one more betrayal on a long list starting with his very birth. She didn't blame him, _she_ was entirely to blame. She didn't think she could even forgive herself. _What had I done? Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ She got up from the chair so fast that she tipped it over. Her hands were shaking, she felt sick to her stomach, and her vision was getting blurry from unshed tears. She turned and almost ran into Wynne who had come back with bread.

"Sorry, Wynne, I have to go get Naseel; it is time for her lesson." Then, she practically ran out of the room and down the back stairs, hoping she wouldn't run into anyone else. She managed to get outside to the back of the house. She decided she would saddle Luna and let her run, go so fast that her tears would dry before they fell. She marched towards the stables. Argus came bounding up from the field where he had been doing who knows what. She patted him absently. "Want to go for a run with me and Luna?" Kai tried to smile at him. He gave her a concerned whine, then an affirmative bark.

"Scathach!" the voice of one of her Crows-made-Scath came from the shadow of the stables. Erys was her name, if Kai remembered correctly; she was still learning them all. So, her luck at not meeting anyone else was not to hold after all. "I was just about to come to the house. Important news, Anora is hiring a band of mercenaries from the Free Marches. They are due to arrive at the docks in the dead of night three days from now. We got an intercept from some of our Crows in Ostwick. Vimaro had them posted in Ostwick on another assignment. The ship of mercs leaves there tonight. Now that we work for you, our brethren all over Thedas are keeping their eyes and ears open for anything to do with Anora." The young woman's black hair glistened in the sun against her black Scath leathers, dusty from the road. Kai nodded at her, and they went back in the front door of the house.

Kai immediately grabbed a servant and asked them to gather everyone but Wynne, since she was tending Zev. She would tell Wynne when she went to get her armor. Sod it, it was in the room with Zev. Kai had Erys debrief them. It looked like they would be going to the docks of Denerim to try to thwart Anora's newest attempt at raising an army and hopefully stop it literally before it got onto dry land. They would need all hands on deck, Kai wanted to giggle at her own pun, for this one. Minus one recovering assassin of course, one assassin who would probably never speak to her again. These mercs were not going to go down easy, nor did she think they would join her.

Kai sent everyone off to get equipped and ready to go. Sten was going to have to ride in the back of a hay wagon and Shale would have to run if they were going to make it. Kai thanked the Maker that they hadn't moved on to Highever yet.

She and Argus made their way back upstairs to her room. She opened the door and steeled herself, putting her face and her voice in a neutral. "Sorry to bother you, but I need to get my armor. And I need you, Wynne." Wynne looked as if she had been having an uncomfortable conversation with Zevran. Kai huffed to herself mentally, _I just make everyone's lives so much fun, don't I?_ Zevran just regarded her coolly with his mask in place. Kai gulped. "We have news that Anora has hired mercs from The Free Marches. They leave Ostwick by ship tonight. They will be here in roughly three days. I want to get to the docks and give them a proper welcome." Kai wanted to shuffle her feet. "Wynne, I need you to be there with your healing skills, and I recruited Fiona as well. This group isn't likely to jo...be as agreeable as some of the others we have run across." Kai gave Wynne a small smile.

"Of course. I will make sure a servant takes care of Zevran." Wynne's voice dripped disapproval at his name, which made Kai flush and look away. The disapproval should be for her, not him. She turned to cross the room to the chest containing her black Scath armor. She slipped off the leather shirt she was wearing to slip on the cotton one she usually wore under her leathers.

"Before you put that on, I want to re-bandage that shoulder, young lady. It was already infected once." Wynne grabbed her bandages and poultices. Kai felt self-conscious standing there in her small clothes while waiting for Wynne, and she deliberately didn't look in Zev's direction. Wynne removed the bandage and studied the long red gash running down along the rounded part of her shoulder. It was slightly puckered and still inflamed. Wynne stepped aside to put a poultice in a clean bandage, and Zevran must have seen it.

"When did she get that?" Kai started to answer but Wynne broke in.

"She got that, _young man_, while raiding Master Vimaro's hideout trying to rescue you. She was fighting three Crows." _Two Crows,_ Kai thought. _Only two, Argus got the other._ But she didn't say it aloud.

"It is nothing, really. It got infected only because the bandage moved and my leathers rubbed it." Kai felt Wynne putting the cool poultice covered bandage back on her wound. "The damn thing itches like the blazes, but otherwise it is fine." Kai was mentally squirming. She wished Wynne would hurry up so she could take her armor to Leli's room and have her help her buckle up. There was no way she was going to stay here and let Wynne do it while Zev stared at her with a cold mask on his face.

"You should take better care should you not, Warden?" Zev's voice had a cold bite to it, as if he were saying it just let her know he really didn't care despite the words. Kai flinched.

"For your information, she didn't tend to it because she was too busy carrying your sorry carcass on horseback in the dead of night to get you safely out of Denerim. She wouldn't stop until she got here, even though it was painful and I asked her to stop and take care of it. Furthermore, she insisted on taking care of your wounds first once she did get here." Wynne's voice cracked like a whip. Kai flushed and looked at the ground. Finally, the bandage was in place.

"I am going to get Leli to help me in my armor." Kai started to walk to the door.

"I am going with you," Zev's cold voice told her as she walked by. She looked at him in disbelief.

"Like hell you are. You just woke up after a five day nap. Argus, guard Zev. Don't let him leave the bed unless it is to use the chamber pot. Lay on him if you have to. He does _not_ leave this room." Argus jumped on the bed and laid on Zevran, looking him in the eye. Kai turned and walked out the door. In for a penny, in for a pound. Zev was already mad at her, he would be furious now. She went to get ready for her ride back to Denerim.


	38. Chapter 39

**BioWare owns it! : )**

_OK, our lovely rogue has woken up, but was a little less than thrilled that Kai held back about Alistair's voice and probably will be even more angry that Kai sicced Argus on him to keep him from going. And Kai has a new problem – boarding a ship and taking down a bunch of well-trained mercenaries. Let the games begin!_

_Thanks for your reviews, your emails, your constant support. Especially the lovely reviews. Wow, I am really flattered. I appreciate you all so much! : ) And sorry yesterday's chapter was so late, damn real life anyways. : )_

_Another shout out to Shanda 27 for another quote in her review that I just had to use as it was so appropriate. : ) I love that you all inspire me!_

_And a special apology to a fan whose name I got wrong in my own shout out, DOH! Nighthunter MGS, I am so sorry. And I do owe you this apology, nothing like making someone's initials into a horrible food additive! I am very sorry, sweetie. : (_

_Blessings!_

Kai sat in her black leathers with her black hood pulled up and the black veil covering her nose and mouth. All the Scath were dressed the same. Only Sten, Oghren, and the mages were not. Morrigan always had on dark clothes, just less than most. They all wore dark cloaks to soften their forms and conceal themselves, especially Sten and Oghren who wore plate mail. They sat hunched low as their small boats quietly made their way across the water to the ship called "Wave's Promise" that had anchored just outside the harbor leading to the docks in Denerim. Anora, still spiraling into insanity, albeit a clever insanity, had not wanted to have a lot of heavily armed mercs disembarking a ship in broad daylight. Such a sight might cause the people of Ferelden to get a little nervous and upset. So, the ship had anchored outside of the shipping traffic waiting for midnight.

Kai and her compatriots had made it to Denerim with two days to spare. They camped outside the city then snuck through the gates in the dead of night the day after they had left the farm hold. They had spent their time since at one of the Scath hideouts. It had given them time for Kai to get to know some of her newest recruits and for her to use the procul globe to let them speak to their fellows still in Antiva and, as it turned out, elsewhere. Apparently along with the Crows, Kai had inherited six of the globes, which were in the hands of her ex-Crows as far away as Par Vollen.

Kai wanted them to be a cohesive group that had more than just being Scath in common. Vimaro had desired them to be in competition with each other so they didn't think to compete for his place as Master, just one of the man's many paranoid charms. Kai was the opposite and made sure they all knew it. Her biggest requirements were honor and loyalty. Honor for themselves as individuals and to their fellows and the group as a whole, and loyalty to their fellows and the Scath. Again, none, even the ones far abroad, had declined to be a Scath rather than a Crow when given their freedom. This communication was the reason Kai had wanted her new Scath to talk to their fellows, so they would believe it when they were told they had a real choice. Apparently, those conversations had helped a great deal, according to Naseel, because they had been able to talk to those here who had first-hand experience of their new leader.

And according to Zaeed, all was quiet in the house of Cresconio. In fact, Zaeed informed her that everything was going as it always did. Zaeed was continuing to feed Lord Cresconio false information regarding the trials and travails of catching one Zevran Arainai, who had been the best in Vimaro's house and poised to become a master of it. This position was why Vimaro had set up Rinna and manipulated Zev into believing she was a traitor. Vimaro had been jealous and had hoped to break Zev, plus stop a very real competitor. Kai's heart had hurt at that, her cold fury had returned for a moment, and she was very tempted to just destroy them all once again. She had stopped herself, as always, but she had also realized part of her fury was guilt at her own betrayal.

Zaeed also assured her that Lord Cresconio was currently too occupied with a new male lover whom they had managed to help him cross paths with. "He is obsessed in his affections," Zaeed told her with a grin. He would, as always, keep her informed about what was happening in Antiva.

"Kai, about Zevran." Alistair's voice sounded in her ear. "I am sorry, my love, I didn't think he would get so upset."

Kai huffed into her own head. "He wasn't upset about the sex, he was upset that I didn't trust him enough to tell him about you."

"What were you supposed to do? I mean, how do you tell someone that kind of thing anyways? 'Oh, by the way, I'm hearing my dead lover's voice in my head. He wants me to sleep with you. Is that okay?' Meh." Alistair's tone faded into a grumble.

Despite the shame curdling in her belly which she felt every time she thought about her last conversation with Zev, and she had been thinking of it a lot, she had to laugh at Alistair's joke, though she sobered immediately. "I should have told them all the same day I started hearing you. Even though I didn't know if I was just crazy." Kai felt tears starting. "And I definitely should have told them all after I came back from the Fade." Kai sighed and swallowed the tears back. "It doesn't matter now. I may have lost Zev, and who knows what the Sten, Shale, or Oghren will think when I tell them." Ice settled in her belly along with the shame. "It doesn't matter how I tell them, just that I do it."

"I am so sorry, my love." Alistair's tone was comforting. "Just be safe tonight."

"I will do my best, beloved, as always. Although my best seems to just wreak havoc in some way or another." Kai gave a mental grimace. Before Alistair could offer a comment, the boat she was in bumped gently against the side near the prow of the ship. "Time for me to go to work."

One of the Scath armed a crossbow with a small metal grappling hook. The hook was made of black dwarven steel, like Alistair's Dead Legion Armor, so it wouldn't shine in any ambient light. All the Scath's weapons were made with it. Attached to the grappling hook was a black rope with knots so they could climb up the side of the ship. The idea was the Scath would go first and incapacitate the crew. Kai wanted them tied up and put on the boats, blindfolded and gagged. She intended to keep the civilian casualties to a minimum. They would drop the crew off on land and scuttle the ship after dealing with the mercenaries, making it disappear. The more confused she could keep Anora, the better.

Kai watched as Erys climbed the rope ladder quiet as a shadow, sticking her head over the side of the ship to see where the crew was. She made hand signals in a form of sign language developed by Vimaro's house, which they were now all using. She then disappeared over the edge, and it was a moment before they saw her again making more hand gestures. They watched as a man's tied, blindfolded and gagged form was lowered into the boat by a rope. One of the crew, then. Erys also lowered a rope ladder stored on board the ship on the other side to the boat holding Sten, Ogrhren and the mages. They couldn't very well climb a thin rope in heavy plate.

Kai grabbed the rope Erys had used and climbed hand over hand putting her toes on the knots in the rope, then made her way to the edge of the prow, her fingers hitting wood gritty with salt from the sea. Kai took a quick look around before leaning over to help Morrigan up. They went to join Erys in the shadows of some crates tied down with rope netting over them. Naseel and Lelyth joined her, along with other Scath from a second boat next to theirs on the port side of the ship. Only handful of Scath would stay behind, collecting crew members and manning the boats down below.

Kai watched Sten, Oghren, the mages, and the rest of her Scath climb over the starboard side and hunker down behind more barrels and crates. The Scath practically disappeared in the shadows. Kai and her group had decided to hit the ship at supper time when most of the crew and the mercs, they hoped, would be busy eating, not armored and armed to the gills. Added to that, some of the Scath and a certain pretty redheaded bard had managed to convince the ship's captain, when he had shown up on land to order supplies, that an evening of entertainment from minstrels would make his tired crew much more amenable after a long hard sail against storm-tossed Spring seas. Leliana and her fellow "musicians" would be entertaining them all and keeping them distracted. The downside to their plan was the possibility of being seen so early in the evening with the night traffic in the harbor.

As with Vimaro's hideout, her Scath rogues went ahead of her; it seemed to be an unspoken rule now, no doubt Eamon's doing. They would quietly steal back and motion them all forward. Kai saw crew members knocked out so far. Scath coming behind her would be the clean up crew, ensuring those still breathing bodies made it onto the small boats belonging to 'Wave's Promise' and onto dry land.

Kai and her group continued down the stairway to the next level, which would have the dining hall and kitchen and the rooms for the crew and those who booked passage. 'Waves Promise' was exclusively a transport ship for people crossing the Waking Sea from Orlais, The Free Marches and Nevarra. So, the main body of the ship was a place for travelers to eat and sleep. It had only a small cargo hold for baggage and some small amounts of goods.

They ran across their first mercenary coming out of the privy on the ship. He had been buttoning his trousers and looked up with wide eyes before a dagger stuck in his chest and blood bubbled out of his mouth. His body got stuffed into a closet with mops and buckets.

As they got closer to the dining hall, Kai heard Leliana's beautiful voice leading the mercs and the crew in a bawdy song called "The Clean Song." Kai could hear multiple male voices as Leliana lead them in the lyrics, "There was a young sailor who looked through the glass, and spied a fair mermaid with scales on her...island!" Leli's voice sang, and the sailors laughed and catcalled. "Where seagulls fly over their nests, she combed the long hair that hung over her...shoulders!" And so the music strummed and the men all sounded, if not drunk, at least relaxed and having a good time. Kai made the signal for them to charge.

Kai and her group burst into a dining room full of surprised faces. The mercenaries were shocked at first but, as she suspected, being trained soldiers the element of surprise didn't last long. The crew of the ship, including the cook and a little wire-haired mutt belonging to the cook, were all incapacitated and kept out of the way well enough. But the mercs, even with the added surprise of the minstrels turned assassins, did not give more than a momentary pause. These fighters were disciplined and well trained. It brought home to Kai the importance of making sure they didn't reach Ferelden soil, as much as a part of her mind hated killing other human beings, dwarves, and even a few elves.

Kai found herself fighting a big brute of a man, hairy like a bear and built like the same animal. He had a generously fat belly, but it was muscled underneath as she found out when she tried some of the skills from her Qun arts. The man apparently slept, bathed and ate with his weapons as well because he, unlike his fellow mercs, had kept his two axes with him. They were surprisingly small for such a big man. They looked almost like daggers in his big meaty fists, but he wielded them with the grace of a dancer. He knew what he was doing with them, and he had gotten in a few shallow cuts with his blades. They were so sharp she didn't feel them slice her skin. He was very good, and he was twice her size and three times her strength. If she didn't take care of him soon, he would fell her with a thousand cuts, the bleeding weakening her and slowing her reflexes. He got in one good swipe at her abdomen and her reflexes had her tumbling backwards to avoid it, but not fast enough to avoid it completely. The man was good! Kai came back to her feet and waited until he made a move to swipe at her torso. She bent forward, rolled under the swipe between the man's legs, slashing with her dagger into his groin, severing an artery. Hot blood hit her with a fine spray before it started pouring down the man's tree trunk leg. She came up and spun around to the man's back and stuck both her daggers in, leaning on the dining room table and kicking him forward with all the strength in her legs, while shouting for Sten. The giant Qunari turned and with Asala took the man's head off in a double-handed stroke, causing it to spin across the dining hall table before landing in a plate.

The other mercs were not as difficult as that one, thank the Maker. Soon the room was quiet after what seemed like hours of mayhem, which in truth was really only a matter of minutes. Kai did a head count of her friends and her Scath. All were standing. All sported various injuries, which Fiona and Wynne were looking at. More serious wounds would be taken care of here, then the rest back at the hideout. Kai tried to look at the wound in her abdomen. She only felt a trickle of blood, and the split in the leather was thin. She figured it wasn't that bad.

Once healed, the Scath who had come in behind the main group took the crew back up deck. Others went from room to room and into the cargo hold gathering anything that might be useful. Kai and the others went back up into the night air on the upper deck to wait.

"Scathach, we found something that might interest you!" Lelyth and Naseel came forward carrying a heavy chest between them, and Erys followed with documents. "We found five of these in the cargo hold." Lelyth lifted the lid to reveal a chest full of coins – gold, silver and copper, mostly gold and silver. The documents Erys held were letters and instructions from Anora, with her seal, for the hiring of the mercenaries and plans for their employment in implementing martial law. The letters were the ravings of a paranoid and deluded mind. Kai shook her head. _Where was she getting this kind of money?_ Kai needed to find out, definitely. She nodded and indicated that they were to take all that they could, the chests especially.

Kai and the rest all climbed back down into the boats and rowed out into the harbor some distance to wait. When they saw the rest of the boats rowing out to meet them, Kai knew her Scath had scuttled the ship. She watched until 'Wave's Promise' sank before she had her Scath row her back to shore.

They all made their way back to the hideout. Her Scath would see to the safety of the crew; luckily, she would only have two on her conscience. They would also hide away the treasure they found in one of the warehouses they were using. Kai wanted nothing more than a long hot bath, some poultices and to get back to the twins for physical and emotional reasons both. She missed them so when she was away from them. The thought of them had her smiling as she asked Leliana to help her unbuckle herself from her armor. Leliana helped her get her cuirass off, sliding it over her head. As Kai raised her arms to help, she felt a hot wetness spreading rapidly down her leg. When she looked down, she saw that the cut on her abdomen she thought wasn't so bad was causing the white cotton shirt she wore to bloom a crimson that began to spread rapidly and drip from the hem. Kai clapped a hand to the cut, feeling hot blood flowing between her fingers. "Um, Leliana, I think you better call Wynne or Fiona or both. And quickly." Kai's vision started to go gray around the edges as she sank towards the floor.


	39. Chapter 40

**BioWare owns all... except for etc, etc. LOL : )**

_So the mercenaries have been taken care of, but we have a whole bunch of money in chests. So another mystery for Kai and her group to figure out. And we still have an angry Zev, probably angrier since he had to spend his time in bed with a real dog. LOL. : )_

_Thank you all so much for your reviews, wow, just wow. They really make me feel good. I am just glad that I can draw you in and pull at your emotions, even surprise you. I am so flattered! : ) I really enjoy writing this as much as you seem to enjoy reading it._

_**Blessings! : )**_

_She was on top of Fort Drakon. The air was sharp as if it were made of hot glass, and the sky was black and purple like a bruise. There were dead bodies everywhere floating in blood. Blood pooled at her feet up to her knees and ran down the sides of the tower in multiple waterfalls. She was holding the great sword that Alistair had used to kill the Archdemon, and he was lying there on the higher platform where the Archdemon had been. But instead of the great dragon, a group of people were standing in silhouette against the angry sky. She couldn't stop herself; she moved forward, though she didn't want to see the crowd. She sloshed through the blood, slipping and sliding until she was covered in it. The people in the crowd included her parents – her mother with her throat slit, her father with his intestines hanging of his gaping belly wound. There were the men from Lothering who had wanted nothing more than money to buy food for their families, all had wounds from her killing them. The mercenaries on the ship, the men and women who died at Ostagar, Cailan, Duncan, Branka. All the people dead at the end battle. Even Riordan. All looked at her with accusing eyes. And then the form of Alistair moved, and he wasn't Alistair at all, but Zevran. He walked to stand in front of her. "You betrayed me, you betrayed us all." And then she was being pushed to her knees in the blood as her head was drug backward, and she heard Taliesin's voice laugh as Zev joined in. A blade was at her throat, and Zev spit on her and laughed again. She could feel the blade being drawn across her skin..._

"KAI, it is a nightmare, wake up!" Alistair's voice yelled at her.

Kai started as she realized she was in the back of Bodahn's and Sandal's wagon, hidden cleverly behind boxes of items. She was on a makeshift pallet of blankets with a sack of beans for a pillow. She was sweaty and slightly feverish. Wynne just placed a cool hand on her forehead, and Fiona gave her more of the bitter willow bark tea to drink while making soothing noises.

Those axes that mercenary used had been sharper than she thought. Wynne said it was a miracle, as the slice had happened in such a way that her leathers had actually kept the wound together until she had taken off her armor. Her blood loss had worried them at first, but they had managed to staunch it with the aid of an herb called yarrow, whose leaves had been crushed to a powder and poured into the wound. Naseel had been the one to bring it to both the mages' attention; it was something all the Crows carried to help stop wounds from bleeding. It had given them the time to get the healing magic started. Now, she was wrapped up tight, and Wynne told her no heavy lifting, which meant getting help with the twins. And no horseback riding. So, she had been forced to ride in the wagon of their favorite wandering merchant and rebel in the cause.

She felt the wagon slowing and then stopping. She had spent much of the journey sleeping so she had no idea they were so close to the farm hold. She heard the back of the wagon open, and then Bodahn's friendly dwarven face appeared as he pulled the boxes hiding her away. He smiled at her. "We are here my lady!" And the hole got bigger. Wynne and Fiona helped her to sit up and slide herself forward to where Bodahn could grab her hand and help her the rest of the way out of the wagon. Kai put her feet carefully on the ground and took a nice deep breath of fresh night air. Wynne wanted to get servants to bring a blanket and make a stretcher, but Kai put the kibosh on that. She could walk if she did so carefully. Shale and Oghren came around from the front of the wagon. Oghren was wearing his civilian clothes with an old, battered, stained floppy hat. Where Oghren had found, it she would not hazard a guess, but he thought it made his disguise better. Kai was not about to disabuse him of the notion. He carried the broken control rod in his hands as per their ruse.

Sten and Leli were walking again. Kai figured they may have beaten them, as they didn't have to stick to the roads. Morrigan had wanted to stay with Kai, but she had had the witch go with Naseel riding a Ceffyl. She had pointed out to her sister that while she was one hell of an ass kicker, she wasn't much in the healing arts. Added to this was the fact that Kai wanted more protection for the twins since Zev was still recovering himself, not to mention that he was probably buried under two hundred and forty pounds of muscled Mabari, cursing her name, no doubt.

Just thinking of the twins made her chest twinge, as well as her heart. She hated having a wet nurse feed them. She was determined that she was not going anywhere until Master Ignacio got word to her. Not that she could anyway. She had been wounded, and though it was well on its way to healing, she was still weak and the wound could be broken open easily. For once, she was not sorry to have a good excuse to take things easy.

"Finally, is that all it took? Being away from the twins for too long? If I thought you would relay the message, I would tell Eamon to give you only one safe house to use. The one farthest from Denerim!" Alistair's voice quipped into her ear.

"Ha, very ha. Aren't you just a barrel full of pickled fish tonight?" Kai laughed at him.

"Well, let's see, your almost bleeding to death has a tendency to make me a little jumpy. So, yeah. Oh, and it has the same effect on your _mother._" Alistair's voice held a smile at least.

"Oh dirty pool, very dirty pool." Kai gave a mental squirm.

Kai made her way to the house with Wynne and Fiona helping. She walked in the door and into the main hall. Leliana was there already, as she had suspected, with Sten. The pretty bard sat with her lute on her lap and the tip of her tongue sticking out from between her teeth, brow furrowed in concentration as she wrote notes of music on lined paper. Kai groaned inwardly. No doubt the redhead was composing a ballad about Kai's killing a Crow master or the rescue or her meeting with Ignacio. Leliana had been practically been bursting at the seams when she told Kai she wanted to begin composing a book of songs about Kai and all of their adventures from before the fall of the Archdemon on. Leli had told her that her working the Crows over for Zevran had really inspired her even more. Kai sighed. One day she feared she would be hearing these songs in a tavern or the castle in Denerim, _if _she ever got Anora out of it.

Sten sat reading with a book on his lap while occasionally eating a cookie from a plate with a glass of milk sitting near by. Morrigan also sat reading, but she would periodically grab a bunch of dried plants and hold them up to the book, probably comparing them to the pictures there. Kai smiled. It always warmed her heart to see them, her extended family. She felt herself flush. She needed to tell them about Alistair's voice. Kai waited until Oghren and Shale came in and cleared her throat. "Um, Oghren, Shale, Sten. I have something I need to tell you." All eyes turned to her. She took a deep breath and explained about Alistair's voice, the funeral, her trip to the Fade, Morrigan's knowing, having to tell Wynne and Leli, Zev's finding out and his displeasure. She felt her cheeks getting hot, but she looked them in the eyes. "I am sorry I didn't tell you all sooner. And I didn't tell the others in the group ahead of you out of favoritism. I would never do that, I love you all. It is just that..." Kai flushed and looked down. "I have no excuse. I don't. I lied by omission. I understand if you feel hurt and if you can't trust me anymore. Really, I didn't expect you all to stay after the Archdemon, but you did. I know I am not worthy of your...," Kai broke off, she didn't want to say 'love', "loyalty." Who knew what they felt for her? Sometimes she wondered why they stayed, as she had a penchant for mucking things up. "Anyway, I figure you need time to digest it and make up your minds. I can't ask you to forgive me, though I hope you will." Kai flushed harder and found her hands balled in fists to go with the cold ball in her stomach.

"Talking to the 'little pike twirler' still, huh?" Oghren grinned at her. "Well, I'm just glad I can't hear Branka. But then you and he always had a better relationship than we had, eh? Except for the make up sex, you really are missing something there, Warden." With that Oghren clapped her on the back and grinned. "I am going to go get a keg or two to wash out the dust from the road and see if I can get Sten to play dwarven checkers with me. Tell the other Warden I said 'hi.'" And Oghren took off for the kitchen and its subsequent cold cellar, whistling the tune to "The Clean Song."

Sten just stared at her with his lavender eyes, his face immobile. "I stay because of you and _will _continue to stay because of you, _kadan._" Kai flushed harder. She had once asked him what the word meant, thinking it was his way of pronouncing her full name. That was until she had heard him call Shale that as well. He had simply looked at her as he had just now, his look more intense, and told her it meant something of great value. She had cocked her head at that, not sure what he meant. She was like an object? He had frowned and tried again pointing to the middle of his chest. "Where the heart lies," he told her. It was then that Kai knew how important she was to him. She really didn't deserve them all. Maker, how lucky she was. Sten merely nodded and returned to his cookies and book.

Only Shale hadn't spoken up at this point. Kai looked at the golem. Shale stared back. "At least you do not have to put up with its terrible hygiene in person anymore. Though I suspect it still tries to be funny? Will the Warden be sharing these attempts at jocularity?" The golem just raised a stone eyebrow at Kai.

"Um, no I won't try and share any...erm...jocularity from Alistair with you." Kai tried not to let her lips twitch.

"Hey-y, that hurts my manly feelings!" Alistair's voice sounded with mock pain in her ear.

"All one of them?" Kai asked with a mental laugh.

"I still say that Shale knows a lot of big words for a walking pile of rock." Alistair laughed into her ear.

"Thank you. I don't deserve you all, but I promise to try and always be worthy." Kai blushed again. "I am going to see the twins and..." Kai gave a mental groan. And release one very angry Antivan assassin from his prison. "Yeah, upstairs, to see the twins." Wynne and Fiona helped her walk the rest of the way and up the stairs. When they were in the hallway, a servant girl was coming out of Kai's and, technically, Zev's room, probably after dropping off food for him. Or maybe tending to other physical pursuits, after all he was handsome and charming. Kai felt ill for a second, but she smiled at the girl as she walked past and drew her attention. "What room are the twins in?"

"Why, they are in your room, my lady. They have been since you left. The dog won't let the gentleman there leave, but he insisted the babes sleep with him as always. The dog sleeps on the floor next to the door. It is quite funny, though the elven gentleman isn't amused. He has argued with the dog quite a lot, and the dog refuses to listen, even barking back to answer him." The girl giggled behind a hand. Wynne only grimaced and asked the girl to fetch her poultices and bandages if they hadn't been left in the room already.

Kai was surprised, though she figured Zev felt he was protecting the twins no matter how he felt about their mother. The man was so damn loyal and trustworthy. She should have told him, and yet again she cursed herself for the world's biggest fool. She nodded at the girl, and Fiona paused with her hand on the door knob, giving Kai a moment to school herself. She heard Argus snuffle the door, catching her scent and starting to bark.

"Hush, you large smelly flea bag, you'll wake the babies!" Zev's annoyed voice chided Argus as Fiona opened the door. Wynne helped her limp into the room following Fiona. She steeled herself to walk around the door. The Mabari helped. He was so happy to see her. Though with a quick word from Wynne, he did not jump up as he normally would have to put paws up on her shoulders to lick her face.

"No boy, I can't have you do that." Argus whined at her and cocked his head. "Yes, I got hurt, and it isn't _that _bad. But I can't take the chance of ripping it open, ok?" She smiled at the big dog's grinning mouth as it barked an affirmative. She patted him. "You may also let Zev out of the room now."

"Well that is good to hear, Warden; I thought perhaps you decided to use the dog to keep me chained to the bed so you could use me." Zev's voice normally would have been warm and laughing when he said this, but it was cold and hard as a slap. Kai flinched.

"No, only keep you from following us until you had healed. You are a free man." Kai limped over to the other side of the bed, not looking at Zev. She focused on the little round bellies rising and falling while the twins slept. She touched them and started to bend over to kiss them, but pain from her wounded side had a small cry issuing involuntarily from her lips along with a sharp intake of breath. Fiona came over immediately as Wynne was by the fireplace setting up a teapot for more of the bitter willow bark tea. At least she would have honey to sweeten it here. It would make it a little more tolerable gong down.

The twins, hearing Mommy's voice even in distress, woke up and started fussing. Fiona helped her get situated and gently placed the twins for Kai. The usual bliss infused her being, along with the happiness of being with them again. That was until she looked up to see that Zev had left the room without even a comment.

Kai felt a tear slide down her cheek. Wynne walked over and brushed it away while feeding her the cup of tea. "Not too much, the twins don't need it." Wynne stroked her hair while she sipped from the cup Wynne held for her. "He is at war with himself, child, give him some time."

"Ha, I doubt that." Kai felt another tear slide down.

"You didn't see what I saw, child. When you gasped in pain, he started towards you. He is at war with himself."

"Oh Wynne, I hurt him on a level I don't think anyone else has, not even his Rinna. All the others have been strangers or Crows. Crows he expected it from, it was how Vimaro ran his house. Rinna, too, was raised to be a cold-hearted killer like him. He thought better of me on a lot of levels, I suppose. Why he should I don't really know, and now he finds I am no better." Kai gasped back a sob.

"Don't say that!" Wynne's voice was all fury. It broke Kai out of her self loathing by startling her with its vehemence. "Don't ever compare yourself to that walking monster and his snake of a lover! And if he can't see that you are different, then he is the one with the problem! But don't ever let me hear you say such a thing again. Especially not after all you went through to get him back when he was foolish enough to go running after Vimaro in the first place." Wynne started to pace. "What is it with young people?" The mage looked over at Fiona, who only shrugged and shook her head, but she had a quirk to her lips like she was trying not to smile. Wynne turned back to her. "Did you hear me, young woman?"

Kai blushed. "Yes, mom...erm...ma'am!" Kai grinned at her. Wynne just huffed and gestured for Fiona to help her take the twins so Wynne could put fresh bandages on her wounds. Fiona took care of burping, changing, and getting the twins back to sleep. Kai allowed Wynne to minister to her wounds, including a new bandage for her shoulder which was still healing as well. Kai felt like a quilt. When it was all done, they convinced her to go downstairs so they could all get something to eat, especially her. They reversed their earlier slow trek down the hallway and down the stairs to the main hall.

They were all sitting as they had before, but Sten and Oghren and Shale were playing checkers. Zev was now there as well, his face completely expressionless, sitting at the table with Leliana. Kai just looked away and placed herself carefully in a chair next to Morrigan, lowering herself gingerly with Wynne's help. Fiona went off to find some food. Kai found she wasn't hungry at all. In fact, she still had ice in her stomach, and Zev's cold gaze wasn't helping. She watched everyone except Zev and Leli, since the bard was too close to him and her gaze might fall on him by accident. Finally, she started watching the flames in the fireplace dance.

Fiona came back and pressed a plate with cheese, bread, and some fruit on it into her hands before going back upstairs to watch the twins. Kai smiled her appreciation. She began to spread the creamy cheese on the bread and take bites along with slices of pear and apple, but the food just seemed to have a hard time going down and what did just sat there. She put the plate aside on the little table between her and Morrigan. "You should be mindful of eating, Warden, we wouldn't want your health to fail so you wind up back to the Fade, now would we?" Zev's voice was neutral to anyone who didn't know him, but it had an undercurrent of coldness. Kai flinched again.

Before Wynne could say anything, it was Leliana who broke in. "Oh, since we are all here, I want to tell a story. I am working on Kai's exploits. This is a story you all don't know. It's about what happened when Kai met with Master Ignacio at the Gnawed Noble Tavern. I don't have all the background music to the tale yet, but I have the telling of it down." The pretty bard smiled at everyone in the room, lingering on Zev.

"Leliana, really, I gave them the basics, it isn't necessary...," Kai trailed off as the bard began to pout slightly

"But Zev hasn't heard, he has been comatose. And, I would like the feedback." Leliana brightened again.

"Well, I was there, so if you don't mind, I will skip it and go to bed." Kai flushed and started to try to get herself out of the chair.

"What is the matter, my _dear_ Warden, too modest to hear of your own exploits?" Zev asked her. Kai blushed harder.

"Oh but you can't go, you were there, and I want you to make sure I got my facts straight." Leliana flashed Kai a brilliant smile. Kai just blushed harder and looked away. "So there was Kai all dressed in black with her face covered waiting like a big black cat for the mouse to come to the doorway."

Kai snorted. "Leli, please, a big black cat?" Kai blushed even more. "More like I was sweltering in my cloak to keep my appearance hidden."

"Oh you take all the romance out of it," Leli chastised her. "I said correct me if I got the facts wrong, not if I embellished, Kai." And Leliana went on, and with each sentence she had Kai's cheeks burning and her shoulders hunching, and she wished she could be anywhere, well except The Deep Roads, but here. Kai kept trying to tune Leli's voice out and scrunch down, as much as her wounded belly would allow her, into the chair making herself small as possible. She also wished she was well enough to get up and get some cognac. She wanted to swig it like Ignacio had. Leliana went on to describe how she had started off friendly enough, but had placed Concha's finger in the glass. She continued with Kai's revealing herself as the Grey Warden, and now Scathach. How Kai had showed Ignacio Vimaro's ring then given him the man's head in a huge glass jar of honey sealed with wax. How Kai had threatened to bring down not only The House of Crows, but also the nobility they served, effectively crippling all of Antiva.

Kai just wished Leli would stop. She couldn't even risk a look to see what Zev's expression was. When he still liked her, he probably would have been equal parts angry and impressed. But now? So she just stared at her own hands sitting in her lap. "Oh our Kai was masterful. She kept twisting the knife until I actually felt sorry for poor Master Ignacio. Well only a little, but it was pure artistry."

"Leli, really," was all Kai could manage to mumble. Her ears felt very hot, and her cheeks were burning. Plus, she was biting her bottom lip so hard she might draw blood. "It wasn't that, um, well it was just..." Kai again trailed off at a loss for words. "Cruel and vicious" came to mind, but she didn't say them. Leli was making it sound far more romantic than it was.

"I will admit I almost laughed when she told him to steel himself, it wasn't all the bad news. She pulled out that procul globe and spoke to Zaeed. Ignacio looked positively ill!" Leliana laughed her bubbling, beautiful laugh. "She negotiated a four-hundred year contract between the Antivan Crows and Ferelden Scath. No more slavery in the Crows. All the Crows in House Vimaro belong to Kai and now the Scaths, but of their own free will. Oh, and it was made clear, and in no uncertain terms, that you were off limits, dear Zev. She was very, very clear about that. Cresconio and his house are to be, what was that word you used, Kai? Oh yes, 'absorbed' by House Serracino. Her threat at the end was a stroke of genius! It had poor Ignacio swigging really excellent cognac straight from the bottle. Let me see if I can get this exactly." Leliana pursed her lips and put a fingertip to them in thought. Then she pitched her voice and mimicked Kai's accent, "It might also help the peace process if you tell them this. For what Vimaro did to Zevran, it took everything in me not to seek the ultimate revenge and watch all of Antiva burn. And one false move, one little thing that causes me to look at what he did to Zevran a little more closely – whether it be dragging their feet or trying any tricks – and I will set a firestorm into motion with a mere flick of my fingers across my procul globe." Leliana laughed. "Isn't that just the best? Then she told him she would love a reason, and it wouldn't take much of one." Leliana let out a delighted giggle. "I thought I would fall over laughing when she turned around at the door and Ignacio jumped. She told him to relax, she just looked forward to her discount at their booth in the marketplace!" Leliana grinned wider. "I will admit I never had as much fun when I was a bard in Orlais."

Kai couldn't look up. Her face was still flaming, and she just wanted to crawl away and disappear. It was Zev's voice, quiet and without any inflection, that broke the silence. "You took over Vimaro's cell of Crows?"

Kai felt her shoulders hunching again. "Yes. Well, all but the seven we had to kill at the hideout."

"And they joined you without hesitation?" Zev's voice, again with no inflection.

"Yes, they did, as did I. I don't believe we've met." Kai turned carefully to see Naseel coming forward from the stairway. "I was one of the novices in the house, too low ranking for you to ever have any assignments with me. I was taken off 'probation' shortly after you left." The young woman came and stood by Kai's chair. Her odd-colored eyes fixed on Zevran. "I am Naseel. And I assure you, Zevran Arainai, we did swear to follow her. _All_ of us. We are all Scath now." Naseel offered a cold smile to Zev. "I believe our Scathach is still waiting on word from Ignacio, though." Naseel simply cocked an eyebrow at Zevran.

"I brought you the globe, Scathach. I thought you might want to check with Zaeed yourself? I told him of your injury and that you would check in as soon as possible." Naseel handed Kai the velvet bag. "I had thought to give you some time with your _friends,_" Naseel directed a cold look at Zevran, "And to have some rest and refreshment before I bothered you. I was waiting nearby."

Kai took the globe out and tapped with her fingers. Zaeed's face appeared, and he bowed and smiled. He made motions with his hands. Ignacio had arrived in Antiva, and the negotiations were underway. Lord Cresconio was still occupied and unaware. Zaeed would keep her informed on the negotiation process as he heard news. He had people watching the talks, he assured her, it would be amusing. Kai smiled and made motions back, thanking him. Then Zaeed did something that surprised her, he asked her if she was all right from her injury. Kai only had a moment to pause, slightly stunned, before she answered that yes, all was well, she was healing. And she thanked him again. Zaeed bowed and smiled at her before his face disappeared. Kai put the globe back in its bag and handed it to Naseel, before translating, for everyone but Zev and Naseel, what Zaeed had to say.

"So, depending on how long it takes them to argue with each other and if I don't have to remind them that time is of the essence, then maybe nine to ten days before we get Ignacio back here in Ferelden? Unless he runs into bad currents or storms while sailing back." Kai tried to figure in her head.

"Could be less, the currents flow this way from Rialto Bay," Zev's voice interjected quietly. She couldn't hazard a guess as to what he was thinking, and quite frankly she was too tired to try. Suddenly, she felt like she could just sleep in the chair. She looked at Naseel, who gave her an arm and helped her rise.

"Well, I, for one, have had a really long last couple of days. I am going to go to bed." Kai smiled around the room vaguely. It kept her from having to look at Zev or Leli. _Bloody bards and their stories!_ Kai fumed. Kai waved off any offers from the others to help her up the stairs. She just took them one step at a time like an old woman.

She finally, thank the Maker, made it to the door to the room and went in. She kissed Fiona, who was reading Zev's copy of "The Black Fox," on the cheek. Fiona put the book down and kissed her back. "I don't believe he hates you as much as you think." Fiona held up the book and then showed her the inscribed fly leaf with her handwriting still on it. "It was the book on top of the pile of books." Fiona then smiled, hugged Kai, kissed the twins and left the room.

Kai put on a clean shift to sleep in and started to get into bed when she had a thought. Maybe Zev wouldn't want her in here. She should sleep with Leli. The bard wouldn't mind, and Leli owed her after that fiasco downstairs. One problem, Kai was not allowed to lift anything heavy, and the twins were off limits according to Wynne and Fiona. Fiona – Kai only hoped she had gone back to her room. Kai started to make her way to the door and almost ran into Zev coming in as she was going out. Her trying to jump back out of the way quickly caused the wound in her belly to wrench painfully, making Kai grasp it with a hand and gasp a sharp intake of breath.

Zev reached out and grabbed her arm, but the grasp was neither friendly or cold. "Sorry, I was going to go get Fiona to help me put the twins in Leliana's room. I figured you wouldn't want me in here, so I was going to sleep with her." Kai still couldn't look him in the face. Seeing his indifference hurt too much.

"Wouldn't it be easier if Leliana just moved in here? One is easier to move than three, no?" Oh that hurt, a twisting little pain around her heart. She felt tears stinging her eyes, but kept her head bowed and nodded. He walked her around to the other side of the bed and stood her next to it, then he moved away and she heard the door shut. Kai just sat on the edge of the bed, her shoulders hunched. She wanted to sob, but it would wake the twins. So, she got under the covers and kept her back to them. She turned her head into her pillow and let the tears come. It surprised her to feel a quick touch of fingers in her hair, and then they were gone as Zev rolled over and blew out the candle.


	40. Chapter 41

**BioWare owns all except for etc, etc, etc... : )**

_So, we have Zev who is now aware just what pies our beloved Kai had her fingers in while he was napping. And he at least didn't leave the room and sleep elsewhere, despite being locked in it for four days or so with a big stinky dog. Kai learned from Zaeed that the negotiations between the Crows and their nobles were underway. Hopefully Kai won't have to goose them, or will she? And while she and her relationship with Zev are still mending, what will Kai be able to discover, if anything, about where Anora is getting her money? Ah, stay tuned folks, still so much to do, and so many chapters to write. : ) I still can't believe it, chapter 40! Oh my! Thanks for making that possible. And I know, I know, I am a tease! Trust me we are building up to a Kai and Zev get together, I promise! : )_

_And of course, thank you all for your reviews, they have just been phenomenal – so uplifting, so inspiring. I have so many little quotes still, you will get your shout outs, so look for them when I do. Trust me, I have several yet to go. You inspire me so much._

_Those who have sent personal emails, bless you too! I really am just amazed that you all think I am doing such a good job. I promise I read all of them, even more than once (reviews too)! : ) I am so eager to write for you, and I am truly blessed. Big hugs from me. Oh, and may I say you guys are some of the most clever readers? Shanda27, I hope I answered your question in the last chapter, you were spot on! : ) And hugs for putting me on alert, fav story and author too. Wow! : )X_

_Blessings!_

Kai and her friends _had _been spending the days in quiet moments of much needed relaxation, waiting for word back from Ignacio before they moved to Highever next. Eamon and Teagan had rejoined them all at the farm hold after their lengthy and trying two-week meeting with Anora. It had not put Eamon or Teagan in a good mood, and they were even less happy that everyone was still there. But Kai had pointed out that necessity was the mother of invention, and with the new alliance being birthed between Antiva and Ferelden, it dictated that she stay close to Denerim. This was the closest safe house after all. Add to that, she and Zev were still recovering from their injuries. The mention of which, and how she had received hers, nearly sent Eamon into an apoplectic seizure. Kai almost felt sorry for the man, but she was trying to get a pretty little viper off the throne, and that meant danger. Vipers had venom and fangs after all.

Zev still slept in the same bed with her. And his injuries, according to Wynne, were almost completely healed. His bruises left the barest hint of yellow, if you knew what you were looking for on his warm honey skin. But his psyche seemed to be something else all together. He wasn't cold, but he wasn't warm and close as he had been. He didn't touch her much, only in passing. There was nothing like the friendly intimacy they had shared, not even the sexual innuendo. He was holding back, a wall was there, similar to the one he had up before he made the decision to follow her and spurn Taliesen, and in some ways worse. It was a wall she couldn't seem to penetrate. Wynne had said he was at war with himself. She figured she should just stay close, be his friend and wait to see what side would be the winner in his internal conflict. The only problem was Kai was not sure what was involved in his internal war, so she didn't know which side or sides to hope would win.

Kai had gotten together with Eamon, and Teagan, after Eamon had calmed down enough. She explained to them about the ex-Crows, now Scath, and their waiting for word back from Antiva. She also showed them one of the chests they had gotten from the ship 'Wave's Promise' and the mercenaries. Much to her disappointment, Eamon and Teagan had no idea where Anora was getting the money. She _was _making money by forcing all the banns, arls, and teyrns to over tax their people. But this was more money than that. A lot more. This had led Kai to send out Naseel to the Scath in Denerim with new assignments for the ones like Lelyth who were working in the castle. They were missing an important piece of information, and they needed it badly. In the meantime they were distributing the money from the chests found on board back to the poor and to those nobles who had been loyal to Kai and the Theirin line. All of which was done by the 'Silver Griffon' of course.

But their days of relaxation were quickly over. It was a beautiful sunny Ferelden Spring day, when the breeze held only the barest chill left from Winter, and Kai and her crew were all hiding out in the gently sloping hills around the now mostly evacuated village of Swallow's Point. This village sat at the edge of Bann Loren's lands. Bann Loren was the villain who had imprisoned, tortured, and then executed King Cailan's honor guard, Elric Maraigne; a move that had lead Kai and Alistair back to Ostagar. Indeed, Loren was firmly in the Anora toady camp.

Kai had her Scath keeping a close eye on the banns and arls who were either too cowardly to oppose Anora or were slobbering sycophants. Bann Loren was definitely sycophant material. He had followed Cailan until he had fallen. Then when Loghain had become regent, he followed him. Now he followed the little viper. Kai wondered if he just went in whichever direction the wind blew, even if it was going to blow from the direction of the children of Alistair Theirin, bastard grandchildren of Maric Theirin. Kai snorted to herself.

They had gotten word that Bann Loren had proposed a plan to Anora to trap the 'Silver Griffon,' the person who was giving the pretty little viper such heartburn. The plan was to leak that the town's men were being conscripted by Anora. The 'Silver Griffon' would, of course, ride to the town's rescue and thus find himself caught and subsequently executed. End of problem. Well, it would be if the 'Silver Griffon' were a person and not a group of people all working towards Anora's downfall. Kai laughed into her own head.

They had decided to employ a tactic similar to the one they had used in the Alienage. Those villagers, mostly the able-bodied men who could and were willing to fight remained out in the open, along with a good number of Scath, Zev and Naseel included. They were all dressed in everyday work clothes, giving the impression of a village going about its day to day. The village was a sort of rectangle, built around one village square with the main road traveling through the middle of it. The soldiers, those not "conscripting" the villagers would be surrounding the square once the Griffon made his appearance. Or so Loren's plan stated in the orders that her Scath had intercepted.

Kai had Jarren, her Scath, ready to play the part of the Griffon and come riding in with a small band of Scath to "rescue" the villagers. Loren's men would surround them, and then she and the rest of the Scath would in turn surround Loren's men. She expected them to fight. Loren's men had shown great cruelty towards Cailan's man, Elric. As always, her plan was to spare those she could, but not at the expense of the others. So they waited. Her Scath rogues had crept back to tell her that Loren's men were on their way.

Kai watched as a group of armored men walked into the village, grabbing men and pushing them into the square, rounding them all up, even the elves like Zev, which was just fine. She didn't think they would like the surprise when their docile and cowed elven servant showed his true abilities. Kai smiled at that. Naseel and the other female Scath were playing the alarmed females afraid for their men to perfection. Kai felt her trap ready to spring shut and cause the little viper to develop yet another ulcer, but her feelings of confidence evaporated when a man and a band of soldiers rode into the middle of the square. They were not Jarren and his crew. Blast it! Who the hell had crashed the party? Kai watched as the handsome young man at the head of the party rode in and started shouting at the soldiers. Kai was too far away to hear what he said, but she figured it was something along the lines of "cease and desist." Sod it!

Luckily, Kai knew her Scath were some of the best and most disciplined. They would roll with this, that included Jarren. So it looked as if this young man, whoever he was, would play the part of the Griffon for them. She only hoped he was smart enough to see what the lay of the land was once the game started. She had no desire to kill him or his men, but she had even less desire for him or his to injure or kill hers.

Kai continued to watch as Loren's men figured they indeed had their 'Silver Griffon' and gave a shout which brought the troops from outside the village to began surrounding the group and closing in. Kai watched the young man whose eyes got wide. He said something else which she could not hear, and he and his men drew their own arms. There was a clash of metal on metal, and the game had begun. That was her cue. Kai made hand signals to ready her Scath and her friends.

They all began to move forward in a circle around the village surrounding the group in the square. Loren's men suddenly found themselves fighting not only their real quarry, but the villagers themselves. The soldiers found themselves having to fight at their flank as well. The hunters had become the hunted.

With the help of Shale and Argus, Kai started cutting a swath towards the young man who, now that she was closer, looked awfully familiar though she didn't have time to really put her mind to why. She found herself facing a man in plate who very effectively blocked her way. "Hello, girly girl," he leered at her. Kai swiped her dagger across his face slicing his eye before he even had a chance to raise his sword. When he raised his hand to his face, she stuck him in the armpit, where his armor had an opening, right into his lung and heart.

"Bye," she told him as he gasped like a fish and went down.

Shale just tossed armored men about like rag dolls or pulled back an enormous fist and knocked men across the square. Argus knocked one man down and ravaged the man's face as it was not covered by a helmet. The man shrieked and tried to fight the Mabari off. Argus waited until the man raised his head enough to give him an opening to the man's throat, and the shrieking ended in a burbling choke.

Finally, Kai made it to the young man's side. She parried a sword blow aimed for his unguarded back. She let the attacker's sword slide along her own black metal blade making little sparks where they clashed. She felt the vibration down her arm. Kai went down on one knee as the man's weight pressed her backward. She saw him grin at her, triumph sparking in his eyes, then his eyes got wide as Kai snaked out a quick fist and punched the man square in the place of his hopes and dreams. He was wearing armor, but Kai had dwarven steel across the knuckles of her leather gloves. Punch metal to metal hard enough, and it would cause damage. His sword clanged to the ground as he started to fall to his knees, grasping himself and taking great gulps of air like a fish on land. Kai stood up and took off his head with a double-handed swipe.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but thanks!" she heard the young man say before he was occupied by another soldier intent on capturing the Griffon.

"I would say you are welcome, but I am just a bit irked." Kai kicked out at the man in front of her catching him square in his unguarded jaw with a sickening crunch as the bone broke. The man squealed like a piglet as blood flooded out of his broken mouth. She stuck her dagger in his chest between the ribs and pushed him off with her foot. She turned to look for her next opponent and found that the square was covered in bodies. She was happy to see that most were in plate mail.

Her first priority, as always, was her own people. She called the Scath and did a head count, as well as making sure she could see her friends all standing or sitting. Wynne and Fiona were already hard at work, while those who were not as injured were using potions and getting out bandages and poultices, setting up an area for first aid. That included any villagers and this man's men as well. Kai motioned to Naseel to check and see if they had any civilian casualties. They had this routine down now. She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad one, their familiarity with tending the wounded and dying.

Kai turned to the man who had almost ruined their whole operation. It kept nagging at her that she knew him. "Old boyfriend?" Alistair's voice teased her.

"Very funny, smart guy. You know all my lovers by name. Except I can't quite remember the last bloke...hm. Albert, Alfred, no... hmm what was his name?" Kai laughed at him.

"Oh, you are so evil!" Alistair mock grumbled at her, then laughed into her ear.

She watched as the young man tended not only to his people, but helped with the villagers. His hair was similar to Alistair's in color, a little more on the brown side. He had a goatee and green eyes and a face that probably made the other nobles' daughters swoon. He was obviously in shape, and he knew how to wield his weapons. He wasn't just some slothful noble's brat. It was obvious that he was a noble, since his armor was excellent and his men were equipped quite well. It was also the way he carried himself. She and Fergus had the same kind of carriage. It was drilled into them at an early age. But this noble seemed to be slumming it.

He turned to her and grinned. "You look awfully familiar. Have we met? At a Landsmeet maybe, or just in my dreams?"

Kai rolled her eyes at him. "Don't bother with the charm, ser, it has been tried by better men than you." She caught Zev moving forward out of the corner of her eye.

The man's grin widened. "I am Keiron Ceorlic, son to a long line of traitors it seems. I was here hoping to redeem the family name." He grinned wider. "My father loves to straddle a fence, must be what he uses that split in his arse for. I overheard him talking to Bann Loren about this little trap. I had hoped to stop the 'Silver Griffon' from being caught and to meet him. I want to sign up for the cause."

Kai looked over at Zev and Naseel, who were standing near by. Then she turned to Keiron and laughed. "Well, today is your lucky day." She waved a hand to encompass all the Scath and her group of friends. "You just did." She grinned at his confused look and clapped him on the shoulder. "Let's sit down and talk, shall we?"


	41. Chapter 42

**BioWare owns all except for etc, etc, etc... : )**

_I know 40 was a small chapter and a little of a filler, I admit. I was not feeling well at all, but I didn't want my fans to go without a chapter, and I had Keiron in mind for a future plot device already. But it seemed right to fit him in now and give Zevran a little competition, no?_

_So, we get word from Zaeed in this chapter. And Kai gets closer to finding out what it is that Anora has been doing to get all that money. And she gets to fend off the affections of the newest recruit to the rebel cause against Anora, while trying to get back in Zev's good graces. Let the fun begin! : )_

_And now it is time for a moose. My sister was bitten by a moose... Oh, wait that's Monty Python. : )_

_And my personal, can't go a chapter without it, thank you! Really, you guys keep the muse singing and I just love the little emails, the traffic, the reviews. And I love trying to get a chapter out every day for you all, but it is nice to read that you appreciate it. : ) You all rock my world._

_Blessings! : )_

After the battle at Swallow's Point, Keiron Ceorlic was now a part of the cause. He proved a very able warrior, and even with his laissez faire attitude toward life in general, he took Ferelden and getting Anora off the throne very seriously. Despite his rather obvious attempts to charm Kai, he was a rather pleasant addition to their growing group of troublemakers.

His constant innuendos reminded her of the way Zev used to be towards her. In a way, it was a painful reminder of their damaged relationship. But aside from the innuendos, he was not like Zev in the least. He always made Kai think of a big enthusiastic Mabari puppy – overly friendly, but good in a fight. She was sure he fancied himself a bit of a knave or a highwayman or a pirate. She suspected his nanny raised him on such tales as a child, and he had taken the "dashing hero" bit to heart.

Zevran seemed less than thrilled with him outside of a fight. Whenever Keiron was in the same room with Kai, he would watch him with wary amber eyes. But as he still seemed embroiled in his internal struggle, Kai wasn't going to read too much into that. He seemed just as wary looking at her any time she caught his eyes on her. He wasn't freezing her out, neither was he warming at all. Kai didn't know what she could do to start building a bridge back to what they had been.

Kai and the Scath had been informed by Zaeed via the procul globe that the negotiations had finished and she had gotten what she wanted, all of it and then some. What "some" meant she didn't know, as Zaeed had grinned and said it would be better if she saw it. The rest of the Scath and all of the money, weapons, armor and anything belonging to House Vimaro would be packed and coming to Kai and the Scath in Ferelden. Zaeed had already started the packing process at their headquarters. He told her they would all be coming with Master Ignacio. _That ought to be a fun trip,_ Kai thought.

Kai's wound had not completely healed when she went on her little foray to Swallow's Point. So, she was spending time having Wynne fuss at her while redressing it. Secretly, she thought that Wynne enjoyed having a reason to cluck over her like a mother hen. They were interrupted by Zevran coming in to get out some of his daggers for target practice. Today was his day to see to the Scath's training and practice sessions, and since Kai was forbidden to do _anything_ that would open up the wound again, she couldn't partner up and help. Zev went to one of the chests along the wall that held armor and weapons.

Wynne had finished bandaging Kai and helped her slip on a cotton tunic shirt over her leggings. "No helping Zev train the Scath. I am serious, young woman! You may watch, but no helping." She looked at Kai with her lips drawn in a firm line.

"Yes, mom." Kai grinned at her.

"Don't get sassy with me, young lady. If I catch you doing something that can open up that wound again, I will have Shale sit on you." Wynne smiled at her. "Now go on, get out of here before I change my mind and turn you into a frog until it heals." Kai mock saluted the mage and started to leave the room when she noticed that Zev was standing in front of one of the chests holding the cotton shirt she had worn on the mission to the ship with the mercenaries. She had forgotten all about it. She had meant to try and clean the blood out of it and mend the cut in the cloth, or get Wynne to mend it since the mage had better sewing skills.

"Try whining, it always worked for me," Alistair's voice teased her.

"I think she might turn me into a frog with all the healing I have made her do lately. I don't think she will be to receptive to fixing my rent garments. But thanks for the advice, beloved," Kai teased him back.

Zev's face was unreadable; he had his mask firmly in place as he looked at the large brownish stain that covered almost the whole front of the shirt and a good bit of the side going towards the back with one long angry looking drip line curling around where she had collapsed on the floor. "Sorry, Zev, I shouldn't have put that in there, I wasn't thinking. It needs cleaning and mending, as does the cuirass." Kai went to bend down to reach for the leather in the chest, but Zev's hand on her arm stopped her. He gave her arm a little squeeze and a quick rub with his thumb, then reached in and got the armor out for her. It was the most affectionate touch he had given her since his fingers in her hair. It made her heart flutter and hurt at the same time. She smiled at him and motioned towards the belt with her daggers sheathed in it. "Might as well sharpen them too since I am not allowed to play today." Kai wrinkled her nose at Wynne, who wrinkled her own nose back at Kai, before giving Zev a thoughtful look. Zev handed the dagger belt to her, his long fingers brushing her own; Kai looked down, flushing.

Kai went out the door and was so occupied in her thoughts that she found herself bumping into Keiron so hard she dropped the armor and ricocheted off him to land against the wall with a grunt. His big hands reached out and grasped her arms to steady her, but instead of letting her go he kept them there. He grinned at her with that rakish grin she had no doubt he had been practicing since he was little boy stealing from the larder. "Well, today is my lucky day! I get bumped into by an exceptionally beautiful and talented woman. This is the way a man should start his day. The only thing better is to wake up next to her in the morning." His grin got wider as Kai gave him an eye roll.

"Ugh, I believe I told you not to bother. I have had flirting and seduction tried by better men than you." Kai just kept her arms down at her sides. "You can let go, now." She looked pointedly to either side where his hands were.

Keiron grinned more but let her go. "You mean the elven fellow? Do you two sleep together, or do you _sleep _together?"

Kai felt herself flushing. "What if I told you he is the best lover in all of Thedas?"

"Then I would say I don't believe you because I never hear any noise coming from the room at night." Keiron's green eyes sparkled with laughter as Kai started to blushed harder than ever. Really, the man was unbelievable.

"You stand around and listen at my bedroom door? What kind of weird voyeur are you?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. Kai was pleased to see him blush this time and look down. He looked nothing more than a little boy, blushing and shuffling his feet.

"I don't! I mean, I'm not! I was hungry one night, and I passed by the door," he mumbled at her.

"You should know better than to tangle with Kai, she is too much woman for you to handle, Keiron," Zev's voice came from behind the warrior. Kai felt herself blushing so hard her ears were burning. Andraste's flaming knickers, were they both setting out to see who could make her blush the hardest? Kai started to bend down to grab the fallen cuirass while holding her dagger belt like a shield to her chest. Zev walked over with his face unreadable watching Keiron and bending down to get the armor and hand it to Kai.

"Um, right I am going to go now. When you two are done dancing with each other, I will be down in the courtyard watching the Scath and sharpening my daggers."

Kai stalked off towards the stairs. She was just about to start down them when she heard Keiron ask Zev, "Do you think she means to sharpen them to use on us?". She didn't wait to hear Zev's response or even if he made any. Really, she was tied up in knots. The one man she never used to feel awkward around made her more awkward than before, and the other was a big puppy who made her feel awkward in his exuberance. She should have stayed in the Fade, Maker's blood.

"Well, it could be worse," Alistair's voice told her.

"How could it possibly be worse?" Kai asked dryly.

"Oghren could be in love with you too. Especially after that lovely costume you wore while in the Gnawed Noble Tavern and hanging all over him." Alistair laughed in her ear. Kai couldn't help but laugh with him. Alistair always made her feel better. Even in the Deep Roads and with facing the Broodmother, he had always managed to make her spirits rise.

She made her way downstairs and through the Great Hall to the front doors and out to the courtyard where they had set up dummies and targets. Sten and Oghren sat on hay bales, both sharpening their respective weapons. Oghren had a mug of ale which he swigged from in between swipes with a whet stone. Morrigan and Fiona were deep in conversation. Fiona looked to be teaching Morrigan healing spells. Kai raised an eyebrow at that. Argus was getting Naseel to play tug of war with a piece of knotted rope. Shale was watching the activity in the courtyard from behind Oghren and Sten. The Scath were all practicing, with Leliana helping to correct stances while waiting for Zevran to show up.

Kai sat on the hay bale next to Oghren and grabbed the extra whet stone he had out and sprinkled it with honing oil. She applied a dagger blade to the stone, and the repetitive motions soon had her mind settled and quiet. It was like a meditation, and it helped her to settle herself after that incident upstairs. Zev eventually came out the front doors to the courtyard. Kai had a momentary flutter of panic when Keiron didn't show up right behind him. Had the big puppy gotten on the assassin's nerves one too many times already? But Keiron showed soon enough, chewing on an apple and winking at Kai.

Zev was just gathering the Scath together in a semi-circle around him to start the day's lesson when a clattering of hooves and the sound of footsteps made everyone stop what they were doing. Kai was expecting to see someone on a Ceffyl, instead she saw why everyone was gaping. It was a Halla. The deer like creature was as white as moonlight on snow; not even the dust from the road seemed to dim it. The horns were carved and curled in spirals and soft undulating waves on top of its head. It had no bridle and only a small blanket across its back. A small blanket on which a young, golden haired, elven woman with a beautiful intricate tattoo on her face sat. She wore hunter's leathers with a bow and a quiver of arrows slung across her back. That along with a small dagger of ironbark sheathed at her side spoke of a Dalish hunter. Though what a Dalish elf would be doing so far from her clan and the Brecilian forest Kai had no idea. Nor did she have any ideas about how the girl had found her.

But, she was not the only strange visitor to their little farm hold. The elven girl was glaring at a man with dark brown hair, a beard, and glowing bright yellow eyes. His ears were slightly pointed, but not in the way of the elven. Almost like cat ears. Kai recognized him, Swiftrunner the former werewolf. Kai and her friends had managed to set Swiftrunner and his fellow werewolves free from the curse placed on them by a Dalish clan elder named Zathrian. Zathrian had lived centuries by using his blood and binding the spirit of the forest called "The Lady" to a white wolf named Witherfang. They had been two sides of the forest, one gentle and loving the other cold and brutal. A bite from the wolf had brought the disease of lycanthropy to the humans who lived near the forest, a curse for the rape of his daughter and the torture and murder of his son. The werewolves had attacked Zathrian's people and passed the curse to them in the hopes that Zathrian would end it to save his own people. Unfortunately, Zathrian's hatred was still not appeased, and he was afraid to die after living so long. With the help of "The Lady," Kai had convinced Zathrian to break the curse after so many centuries, to end his hate and go to his rest, freeing both his people and Swiftrunner's clan. Swiftrunner and his clan had taken off to live amongst humans once again. Yet here he was, glaring back at the Dalish hunter.

"Warden, we need your help!" both the girl and Swiftrunner began at once, before breaking off to glare at each other. Swiftly, each drew a dagger and faced off with each other. _Oh boy!_ was all Kai could think before the two had crossed their blades.


	42. Chapter 43

**BioWare owns all except for etc, etc, etc... LOL! : )**

_Well, well, we have two unexpected guests showing up to ask for Kai's help, one problem. They hate each other. So, can Kai broker a truce and find out what is going on before they kill each other? More fun ensues. Hope you continue to enjoy Kai's wild ride. : )_

_And my thanks as always. You are all wonderful. Thanks for the support and appreciation! : ) Couldn't happen without you all believe me!_

_Blessings!_

Kai jumped in between the elven girl and Swiftrunner just as both of them went to strike at each other. Kai's Qun martial arts had her knocking both of their armed hands aside, feeling a little stitch in her wound as she did so. Maker, Wynne was going to kill her! Kai then threw open handed blows to their chests, knocking them both away from each other. Sten grabbed Swiftrunner and held him by both arms while the man growled at the young woman, his eyes glowing an intense yellow. Keiron had grabbed the elven girl the same way, his apple sticking out his mouth. The situation would have been comical but for the seriousness with which they were going after each other.

"Bloody hell! What is going on here?" Kai reached a hand to feel the bandage on her side. "And how did you two find me?" Zevran had come over and gently lifted her shirt to look at the wound. His fingers making her skin tingle. When he shook his head, his look told her the cut had not opened up again. Kai felt herself flushing, but she let out a sigh of relief. She smiled in gratitude at him before turning her gaze back to her two visitors. They both started to talk at once. Kai held up a hand. "Swiftrunner?" Kai turned to him. He shifted his glowing golden eyes to her.

"My clan went to live in Gwaren after you freed us, lady..."

"Your _clan_, more a pack of filthy killers no matter what skin you wear." The elven woman glared at Swiftrunner.

"ENOUGH!" Kai roared, and she was glad to see everyone flinch but Sten and Shale. "I have had enough of your sniping and trying to kill each other. If you want my help, you will either behave yourselves, or I will kill you myself." Kai glared at the girl and Swiftrunner in turn. "Your being here could put us all in danger."

Kai heard a thump as Keiron spit out his apple. "She is magnificent!" He stage whispered to Zev, while grinning his big goofy grin. Kai rolled her eyes.

"Continue, Swiftrunner. You and your clan moved to Gwaren?" Kai nodded at Sten to let the man go.

"Yes, my lady, your generosity allowed us to move back with our fellow humans. It has been difficult sometimes, there is so much we have had to relearn. But we have been accepted, we are doing well. However, Gwaren has been taken over by people from Tevinter and they are protected by Anora's men. They are moving great quantities of lumber onto ships." Swiftrunner's face frowned in concern.

"They move great amounts of lumber, lady, because they are chopping down parts of the Brecilian Forest and our home!" The elven girl, whom Keiron had released his hold on, glared at Swiftrunner before turning her worried gaze on Kai. Voices started to buzz in the courtyard amongst the native Ferelden Scath. Some of them were obviously explaining what that meant to their Antivan counterparts.

Kai looked at Zev, "Grab Eamon, Wynne and Teagan. Have them meet us in the Great Hall. He nodded and slipped back inside. Kai nodded to the elf and Swiftrunner, "Follow me, please." Kai motioned for the Scath and the rest to come as well. They made their way into the Hall. Kai had her guests both sit at the long dining table. The Scath and the rest of her friends all found places to sit or stand. Kai grabbed a servant and asked for refreshment for their guests to be brought. She waited until Eamon, Teagan and Wynne had seated themselves before making introductions.

It was Eamon who spoke first, "I want to know how you both found out Kai was alive and how you found us before we go any further. I need to know if we must leave here now." Eamon's face was deadly serious. Before they could both began talking again, Kai waved her hand at the elven girl.

The girl flushed and looked at Kai. "My name is Alariel, lady. And I give the word of myself and my clan's keeper, Lanaya, that no one else but she and I know you are alive and where you are. Well, and the mad mage who hides in the forest, but he is not going to be talking to anyone but Aneirin." Alariel gave a small smile. "As you know, the clans only meet once every few years, and in between we wander. Our clan happened to be in the area a few miles outside of Gwaren at the foothills leading to the Kocari Wilds. When we saw what was happening, we didn't know what to do. We have been destroying their tools, their wagons, creating mayhem in any way we could, but the human queen sent more men to help guard the shem who are destroying our home. Some of ours have been killed; they hang the bodies from trees to rot as a message. They keep us from cutting them down to give them a proper burial and return them to the forest.

We sent Aneirin to speak to the mad mage in the Eastern part of the forest. He was always friendly to Aneirin. We sought his magic to help us. Of course the shem is too deranged to be of any help. He is too paranoid about a "them" finding him. But he told us that there was one who could help. A dead woman who was not dead. The woman who had given him the silver ring he wore in trade for an acorn. He said she had been kind to him, she had given him food and blankets to keep him warm and a book to read. He had magicked the ring to tell him where she was. She had told him she would come back some time and visit him. Apparently, lady, he thought of you and Aneirin as his only friends. You made a good impression on him, even in his addled mind." The girl grinned at Kai across the table. "We had thought you dead, lady. That is what we heard from ours who trade with the shem. Imagine our surprise when the mad mage showed us the ring and how it worked. We had to trade for it, of course, and promise to return it to him. But it will be worth it if we can call upon you once again, lady." Kai smiled at her.

"Well, I had no idea he would even remember me once we left him. He really is quite mad, the poor bugger. I need to make sure he gets some supplies." Kai looked at Eamon. "Feel better, Eamon?"

"No, as the gentleman has not answered how he came to find you." Eamon looked at Swiftrunner.

"The village mayor is basically a prisoner, and Anora has not put another teyrn in charge of Gwaren since her father was executed. It remains leaderless and is under marshal law. No one is allowed to leave. I take it if word got out to the other banns, arls and the Teyrn of Highever, there would be an uproar?" Swiftrunner looked at Eamon who nodded. "Well, the villagers all met in secret. Because I am most agile, I was chosen to sneak out of Gwaren and try to find the 'Silver Griffon.' We all heard stories before the village was locked down. We had even received aid in the Winter from the Griffon. I was to take the Brecilian passage and go to Denerim to discreetly inquire at the Gnawed Noble Tavern. It was our only lead. So I went there. I asked the bartender, who acted as if he did not know what I was talking about. But he gave me a key to a room there and told me to spend the night. I did, but I must admit I was confused. I am still learning human facial expressions and body language. I went to the room and settled in. I got a visit from a person dressed all in black who put a dagger to my throat and demanded to know why I was asking after the Griffon. I explained, and he told me where to find you and gave me this." Swiftrunner pulled out a silver medallion with three crescent moons back to back with the third moon pointing downwards while a triple knot with the point upwards connected the moons in the middle.

It was the symbol of the Scath. Kai had it designed and all wore a ring, a pendant and carried the medallions secreted on their persons. The medallions were to be given to those who were in need of help from 'The Silver Griffon' or the Scath. As a means of alerting each other, they could even draw three arcs back to back with their feet in the dust if in a public place. As a test to see who might be part of the cause, they could draw one arc and see if the person in question knew to draw the rest.

Kai fingered the cold metal that Swiftrunner had carried. Well, it seemed they would need to travel to the Brecilian Forest. Kai motioned Naseel over, "Naseel, get on the procul globe, tell Zaeed to take his time packing up. Then, get all the Scath here ready to go." Naseel smiled, nodded, and saluted before turning on her heel to go upstairs.

Kai turned to Eamon, "We will need use the Brecilian passage. It will be our quickest route after leaving the West Road. Do we have any safe houses close to the forest for the twins?"

Alariel broke in to their conversation. "I know that you may stay with my clan, lady. Your children will be safe there, I swear it. My clan owes you our very existence. We will protect them with our lives. Though the only threat we have is the Tevinter, and they do not know where we are camped. We have made sure of it."

Kai smiled at her. "I thank you and your clan, Alariel. We will be taking Swiftrunner with us. He can help fight, and he has as much at stake as you do. His home is invaded and his people threatened as well." Kai raised a hand before she could protest. "Alariel, Zathrian cursed Swiftrunner's ancestors, Swiftrunner himself and his people were not trying to kill your people. They wanted to be free from something they had nothing to do with, just as your people are free from shems. Can you honestly tell me you and yours wouldn't have done what they had to do to be free? That your people haven't? You are more alike than different, Alariel. It is time to forgive and move on, don't you think?" Kai could see the girl thinking on what she said. She hesitated a moment and nodded. Then she put out her hand to Swiftrunner, who looked at it for a moment before taking it in his.

"Good, now that's settled. Well, now we know what Anora is doing to get all that money we found. We all need to pack and get moving. We have a village to rescue, a forest to save, and Tevinter bastards to drive out of Ferelden. No pressure," Kai laughed. "Let's go save the world."


	43. Chapter 44

**BioWare owns all except etc, etc, etc, which are too long to name here. : )**

_Well, our beloved Kai has the village of Gwaren to save, and the forest as well. She also managed to broker a truce with Swiftrunner and Alariel. And now we all know that Anora has been selling off the forest for lumber to the Tevinter Empire to make all the money she used to hire the mercenaries. Which was only a fraction of what Swiftrunner and Alariel described is going out on ships. So let the games begin with kicking the asses of a bunch of foreign loggers and Anora's men who protect them. What fun will ensue?_

_A special shout out to Night Hunter MGS for some of a previous review going into the story. Again, it fit so perfectly, I had to use it. Thank you!: )_

_And as always a special thank you to all. I really, really appreciate your thanks for getting this out to you every day. It is so sweet of you all to say. You all, and the story, fuel me, inspire me, and keep me going. Really, it is just shameless my ego gratification addiction with all of your wonderful feedback. LOL! I am so humbled, so grateful. And the private messages some have sent me, hugs for wishing me to feel better. I am truly blessed._

_Oh, and Shanda27 you always crack me up with your reviews! LOL, yep like father like daughter. And saving the world, yeah, Kai should be used to it by now. After all Andraste did warn her in the Fade didn't she?_

_Hugs everyone! : )_

There was a light misty rain falling from the overcast sky. It made the daytime feel like twilight. The sound of rain dripping from the trees was the only sound in the forest. Kai and a group of her Scath were hiding in the trees along a logging road that the Tevinters had cut through this part of the forest to transport logs to Gwaren for shipment.

They had discovered that things had much worse, but in some ways better than they thought. It was better in that only a few square miles had been deforested so far. But what had been logged, was completely stripped. It was also worse in that after Swiftrunner was found missing, as punishment the whole town of Gwaren, children included, were being forced to help strip the forest by cutting down trees or stripping logs and moving them to carts. During the night, the villagers were rounded up and shoved into a couple of large warehouses on the docks with the lumber being loaded the next morning.

Lanaya, the clan elder, had accepted Swiftrunner as a guest and kept her people from causing trouble with him. Alariel's acceptance of him had helped. The other hunters in the clan had all taken Kai as their leader without complaint or apparent trepidation. So, she had some of the best archers in Thedas not only in her Scath, but also in the elves scattered about the trees.

The old leaves on the ground were wet and soft and made no sound when walked upon. It would make what they were about to do much easier as would the overcast, cloudy weather. Kai and her Scath were all waiting just past the bend in the road as it rose up a gently sloping hill. They were waiting on a group of three wagons loaded down with felled trees that were coming down the road. The wagons would be guarded by Anora's armored men, Tevinter soldiers and at least one Tevinter mage, maybe two.

Her friends, except for Leliana and Zev, were all around the bend and down the hill prepared to circle in and surround the last wagon after the Scath had dealt with the first two. The word had gone out – the Fereldan soldiers were not to be harmed if possible. She wanted to see who all she might recruit as she did with Kylon's men. If she could appeal to their sense of national pride against their fear of the little viper, she might just be able to get more help for the cause. The Tevinters she didn't hold out any hope for and figured them to fight. After all, they didn't give a damn about Ferelden or its people in so much as what they were getting out of the arrangement in the form of lumber and slave labor.

Kai heard the prearranged signal, the caw of ravens echoing through the trees as the Scath further down let her know that the first wagon was going to be coming up the hill and around the bend. Naseel, crouching next to Kai, cawed back. The idea was to overtake the first wagon while it was out of view of the second, drive it into the wood a ways, and obliterate the tracks. They had covered nets with leaves and twigs to go over the wagon, making it look like another part of the forest. They would do the same with the second and then ambush the third. The netting was something the Dalish did to camouflage things, including hiding under smaller versions to shoot at unsuspecting prey, humanoid or animal. Kai and her Scath were employing this tactic for this little project.

Tevinter mages were to be shot with arrows outright. Kai hated that, but if mages couldn't speak, they couldn't cast. So, the archers were hidden in trees, bows nocked when the wagon came into view. Only one mage was sitting with the driver who looked to be one of the villagers from Gwaren. There were five soldiers, four on either side of the long wagon with one man in the back following. The soldiers were all on foot, but they didn't seem particularly worried or alert. If anything, they seemed bored.

They waited until the wagon got to the flat part of the road and was completely out of the view of the second wagon. Kai cawed three sharp calls and an arrow shot out of the trees to catch the mage in the throat. The driver's eyes got wide, and he jumped off the wagon and dove under it. Another arrow shot out to hit the soldier nearest Kai in the leg, causing him to go down on one knee. Kai and the Scath materialized like smoke out of the trees and put swords and daggers to the throats of the other soldiers before they had even finished drawing their weapons. Kai motioned for the Scath to lead the soldiers into the woods away from the road; some would stay with them and keep them quiet.

Naseel had bent down and grabbed the driver, making soothing sounds to him, "Good man, the Silver Griffon has sent us to help. We are here to rescue you all. Please don't be alarmed. Drive the wagon off the road until we tell you to stop, then do as you are directed. OK?" Kai smiled at the man reassuringly. He grinned and nodded before jumping into the wagon and driving it past Kai into the forest while she and the Scath obliterated the tracks of the soldiers and the wagon, finishing up just as the next set of caws started. Kai made hand motions that said, "Scath vanish!" and they melted back into the trees.

This time when the second wagon appeared over the hill and started forward, it stopped as the soldiers realized the first wagon had disappeared. Kai could see them all looking at each other and talking. There were two Tevinter soldiers along with a young woman mage. The soldiers were grabbing their three Ferelden counterparts and gesturing angrily. Kai noticed the young mage pat the obviously frightened villager on the arm in comfort. Not something she had been expecting. The mage then looked around just as Naseel gave the signal. The girl twisted, and the arrow meant for her throat caught her in the shoulder instead. She heard the mage grunt in pain as she ducked, pushing the driver down as well. Kai and her Scath materialized and grabbed Anora's men. One of the Tevinters was felled with a quick couple of arrows to the back. The other had turned and was going to run when he was hit with a bolt of ice and frozen where he shattered upon being hit by Jarren who had been about to stop him. Kai spun around to find the young woman standing with one arm dangling uselessly, but the other hand glowing with white snow and a look of hatred on her face. She extinguished the power and put up her hand in surrender. Kai cocked an eyebrow and gestured for Jarren to get behind the mage with a dagger at her throat as a precaution. "One false move, my lady, and he will slit you from ear to ear." The girl nodded and sat back down next to the driver whom she patted on the arm again. Jarren directed the driver to go off the other side of the road while Anora's men were rounded up; only one looked to be wounded. Again Kai and the Scath cleaned up the site as quickly as possible.

Of course the shattered parts of the soldier were left alone. There was no time or real need to clean them up as there was only one wagon left followed by a small group of soldiers as an escort. The small group followed behind watching for Dalish marauders, as Alariel had told Kai they tended to attack them from behind as they were leaving the forest hoping to discourage them returning. Their numbers being small, it was the best they had been able to do beside destroying tools and causing any kind of damage they could in the logging camp itself.

Again, Kai and her Scath heard the signal as the third wagon repeated the process of coming to the top of the hill and the flat area only to stop. This action was not only because the other two wagons had vanished into thin air, but because there were large and small, white, frozen pieces of person, including his head which someone had place in the middle of the road in plain view. One of the soldiers walked over and picked up the frozen head and carried it back to show the others. The soldiers from behind and on either side of the wagon started to fan out. The two mages with the group found themselves hit with arrows, one in the eye, the other in the chest so that blood filled his mouth, keeping him from speaking.

The soldiers all turned quickly looking around, and Kai stepped out into the road. "Gentlemen, I do hope we can avoid any unnecessary unpleasantness." Kai's face was covered by the veil attached to her cloak hood so she pitched her voice to carry. "I come to you from 'The Silver Griffon.' I am going to make an offer to any here who wish to take it. Stop this madness. You are selling your own country to foreigners. You are enslaving your own. All of this for a spoiled mad woman. You are Fereldans, some of you even fought in the battle against the Blight! The Theirin line lives, the throne can and will be taken back! Join the others who have joined the Griffon."

"Who are you to offer this? We have paid good coin for what we are getting here. This isn't your business!" One of the Tevinter soldiers stepped forward, but an arrow in the dirt at his feet stopped him.

"Perhaps you heard of the Blight? The fight against the Archdemon here?" Kai looked the man in the eyes.

"So? What does that have to do with you or this situation?" The man sneered at her. Kai removed her veil and threw back her hood.

"Because the 'Hero of Ferelden' asks it of her countrymen, that is what." Kai allowed her gaze to fall on each of the Ferelden soldiers. "Join me once again. Your country needs you. As for you from Tevinter. If you don't fight you may return home, unharmed, but be assured that I will kill you if I have to."

"You and what army?" Anything else the man was going to say was lost as one of the men with Anora's heraldry on his armor stuck his sword in the man's chest.

"This army." And he turned towards Kai placing his sword on the ground and bowing. "My lady, I follow you." The rest of the Tevinter soldiers dropped their weapons as the other soldiers bowed on one knee before Kai while the Scath emerged from the forest.


	44. Chapter 45

**BioWare owns all but etc, etc, etc which are just too long to list all of. : )**

_Well they are on their to raising more soldiers to depose Anora, but also working on getting rid of Tevinter from their shores. Of course we still have Master Ignacio to meet with and a little relationship mending still to be done with our favorite Antivan assassin._

_Please continue to let me know what you think. It really helps the thought processes, and I love having things you all say to add to the story. Again I thank those of you who have written reviews, I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy lives to do so. : )_

_Blessings!_

"I can't believe you. How do you not get yourself killed taking in former enemies?" Alistair's voice sounded in her ear. "I mean really, the Antivan assassin, then a whole group of former Antivan assassins. Now you have a Tevinter mage and a bunch of Anora's men!"

"Clean living?" Kai asked him sweetly, and laughed when he huffed into her ear.

It turned out that the Tevinter mage, Verina, they had picked up with the wagon heist had no love of what her people were doing. In fact she hated it, all of it. What they were doing to the land, killing the Dalish. Especially when they had enslaved the villagers and their children. She had been causing mischief herself, freezing the metal of the saws so they became brittle and broke. Same for the chains holding the great logs together, causing them to break and allowing the logs to tumble apart. Wagon wheels and axles would break at bad times. Small things here and there to cause problems. When she had seen what Kai and her Scath were doing, she wanted to help. It had been sheer luck that she had turned at the last moment and the arrow had missed killing her. She told them she had been going to stand up to stretch and had started to slip on the wet boards of the wagon. It was that slip, and that alone, which had kept the arrow from lodging in her throat.

It was Verina's information about how the villagers were gathered together at dusk and forced back to the warehouses in Gwaren along with the intel from the Scath on the layouts of the warehouses that had Kai and her group waiting on the darkening docks for the townsfolk to be secured for the night. It was also her hope to use the soldiers who were willing to follow her to her advantage. They had unloaded the wagons and covered the logs with the camouflaged nets so that Caled and his men could return as though the wagons had been unloaded in Gwaren.

Verina had agreed to accompany them to add veracity to the story that they had been attacked by the Dalish again and that some were wounded or dead back in Gwaren. Verina's own wound added to the "truth" of the story. Kai hoped it would give the soldiers time to spread the word about the Theirin line and the cause to remove Anora from the throne among their own.

Caled assured her that almost all were disgusted by what was going on. Fereldans held honor higher than anything, and this was not honorable. Add to that no one seemed to like Anora much unless they were her sycophants. Those who weren't toadies were mistreated, underpaid and had their families threatened. The few that were her loyal followers were men and women of higher rank who were getting special favors and rewards from her. They would fight with the Tevinters. Caled estimated there to be about thirty, altogether.

Caled had told her that number also included a particularly nasty piece of work named Bardock who was in charge of all the Fereldan soldiers. Bardock and a Tevinter mage named Eudokia, who was the representative for the Imperium's interests here, were the leaders of the operation. Caled warned that Eudokia was a cruel and vicious woman who enjoyed torturing the town mayor just for amusement. Bardock apparently liked the lady's company. They were staying in the mayor's house on the hill. All but three of the high ranking officers would be there too. It seemed that they liked to enjoy good food and fine drink while the townspeople starved and the soldiers made do.

The plan was to rescue the villagers first; if any could fight, they would be welcome. Mostly, Kai wanted them safely out of the village and into the Dalish camp. The elves, despite their misgivings about shems, had agreed that this problem, like the Blight, was bigger than all of them. They would give the villagers a safe haven until Kai could get them all dispersed to the Bannorn, the arlships and even Highever as she had done with Kylon and his men.

So, Kai and her group sat behind crates and piles of logs that had yet to be loaded onto the three waiting Tevinter ships. Kai had been told that only one ship was half full as of yet. It seemed to Kai that they had come at the right time or more of the forest would have been lost. A lot more. They heard the wagons with the villagers drawing up to the warehouses. They were waiting until the soldiers had put the villagers in the warehouses, just to be safe in case fewer men than Caled thought would be on their side and more fighting ensued.

Kai snuck a quick look around the pile she was sitting behind and watched the men with torches as they made the villagers file in. She recognized some of Swiftrunner's pack. She waited until they had closed and locked the doors of the warehouses. Kai spotted Caled who moved the torch he held in the prearranged signal. Kai motioned to the Scath, and they all came out of the shadows. All but the three men that Caled had indicated wore shocked expressions as weapons from all sides were drawn on them. One was a mage in Tevinter robes. "What is the meaning of this? Do you know with whom it is you fool?" the bald man spat out at her.

"Tevinter scum who thought they could buy hunks of my country and enslave a village?" Kai asked with mock sweetness.

"You barbarian bitch!" was all the man got out before a thrown dagger lodged in his mouth. He gurgled and went down like a sack of beans.

"'Barbarian bitch' am I? Well, this barbarian bitch just made your life a lot shorter. You should have stayed in Tevinter." Kai looked at the other two men, dressed in expensive armor. "You sell out your country and countrymen for what? For that viper on the throne? For money? For fancy armor and weapons?" Kai felt ill. She motioned for the Scath to release the villagers. "Even the children?" Kai made another motion with her hand, and the men in question followed the mage in pools of their own blood.

She turned to the villagers. "You are all safe. 'The Silver Griffon' has sent us here. I ask those who can fight to fight with us. We must clear the village and then disperse. You will be safe in the Dalish camp. The Dalish have kindly allowed you all a warm place to stay until we can get you to the Bannorn, arlships, and Highever."

"We have to leave Gwaren?" one of the villagers asked in a frightened voice.

"Yes, but I promise, only until Anora is no longer queen. The Theirin line lives. It will be done. But until then, Gwaren must be abandoned. Anora must not know what happened here. If you stay, she will send more men to find out why. She is mad with power, so do you really want to see what she will do when she finds her plans have been thwarted yet again?"

"How do we know this is true? You say that the Theirin line lives, you tell us we must trust you. How?" another voice asked from the crowd. Kai took off her hood and her veil, grabbing the torch from Caled so they could see her face. She heard a little gasp from the crowd. Some of them had seen her in Denerim when she made her appearance on the balcony of the Royal Palace. She heard the murmurs and snippets of "but she is dead," and "we saw her fall."

She smiled at them. "As you can see, I am not really dead. Anora thinks that I am, and I need to keep it that way a bit longer. I also assure you that the Theirin lines lives; I gave birth to the true Hero of Ferelden's children. They are at the Dalish camp right now." She moved around so that all of them could see her.

It was Swiftrunner and his pack who came to stand beside her. "It is true, she is the one who saved us. And we will fight with you, lady. We will take back our home."

Alariel came forward to put a hand on Swiftrunner's shoulder. "I too say this is the woman who saved my clan. We would not be here otherwise; we would not be offering you our camp to stay in if not for this woman. We need to stand together or all will be lost." Alariel looked at Swiftrunner and smiled before turning her gaze to the villagers. "Those that can and want to fight, we have arms for you. Those who cannot and the children, some of my clansmen will take you to the camp. You will be safe, I swear on the blood of my clan."

The villagers began to separate into those who were going to the Mayor's house and those going with the elven escorts. Several of the villagers grabbed arms and armor off the fallen soldiers. One young woman grabbed a sword, strapped on a helmet and with a cocky grin went to stand with Kai's group.

They all made their way with Scath rogues scouting the way ahead to the mayor's house. Kai had sent some of the Scath to the house earlier to get ropes into position to climb the walls and to remain at the tops of the walls until the signal was given. Others were to position themselves on the rooftop. The guards at the gate were lured out by Verina, the Tevinter mage, and dispatched by the Scath. Some of the villagers put on their armor and took their posts. Kai and the others began sneaking into the yard from the front gate in small numbers and hiding in the shadows.

Kai found herself leaning against a wall crouched below a window where light shown onto the grass in the yard. She was joined by Keiron a moment later. He grinned his big goofy grin, which reminded her of Argus when he sat with his tongue lolling out. In fact, Argus was sitting next to him doing just that. They could be brothers. Keiron grinned harder when she rolled her eyes at him. "You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. You know, we could die tonight. I would hate to leave this world without out at least tasting those perfect lips once before I go." He leaned in, and Kai put her hand on his face and pushed him away.

"Don't you ever leave off?" Kai whispered to him.

"Not when it involves winning a prize like yourself." He whispered back, and just grinned again as she blushed. Then, he did a crouching run to the other side of the building to get into position. Kai just huffed to herself and shook her head. She looked at Argus.

"The next time he tries something like that, pin him to the ground and lick his face off." Argus did a silent bark and lolled his tongue out more in what looked like a doggy laugh.

"I hope you mean only when we are not about to engage in battle, my dear Grey Warden." Kai almost started. She had no idea Zev had come up behind her. She looked into his amber eyes, which shone in the light of the window. He actually looked amused for once. It had been a while since she had seen him like this. Maker, how she had missed it.

She looked at him and smiled, "Shall we crash their party?"

He smiled back with some of his usual warmth, "Si, I think it is rude they did not invite us." Kai grinned and gave the signal for the games to begin.

The fight was long and drawn out. It spilled out onto the grass of the walled-in yard. Kai had felled one man with a two-handed slash to his neck, almost taking his head off. She turned and saw Naseel trying to fight a woman in mage clothes who was casting a spell which sent frost snaking along the girl's skin. She watched as Naseel started to collapse. "NASEEL!" Kai heard herself yell. She started to run forward heedless of those who got in her way. One man she simply cut across the face as she went by. Two others came at her from opposite sides, and she leapt up doing a forward tumble over their outstretched blades which they then embedded in each other. Their target was already gone, back up on her feet and running forwards. She felt a burning sensation across her back, but she flipped her daggers in her hands, driving them behind her and hearing a surprised grunt as they found their mark in a soft, unprotected abdomen. Without looking back, she continued forwards. She reached the mage and Naseel just as Eudokia was about to cast another spell at the young woman.

"Hey, bitch, why don't you dance with me instead?" Kai cold-cocked the woman. She was so angry. All the stress of everything she had been through, including her worries about Zev and herself, had finally come to a boil. The mage went flying to the ground. No finesse, no grace. Kai simply walked over to the fallen mage and put her booted foot on Eudokia's neck before grabbing her head, twisting it and breaking her neck with a sickening crunching sound. The woman's eyes just stared in amazement, even in death. The detached part of her mind that always sat back in these moments wanted to giggle at how anti-climactic a death that had to be for the witch.

Kai turned and went to Naseel. The girl had frost on her armor, and some of the skin on her face and hands had cracked and bled from the cold. Her left arm dangled uselessly at her side, but she was conscious and alive. She smiled at Kai. "Thank you, Scathach." Kai smiled back at her and touched the girl's cheek.

Kai looked around to find that once again the battle was over. There were bodies everywhere. All of her friends were standing, sporting various injuries. Some of the Scath and villagers were sitting, but all seemed to be alive at least. Keiron had a gash on his head which was bleeding down his ear, and he was holding his ribs with one arm wrapped around them, but he was grinning at her again as he murmured to Zev, who was standing nearby bleeding from various cuts himself, "Isn't she magnificent?". He gestured with his sword, and Kai looked at the swath of bodies she had made getting to Naseel, snorted and leaned over and emptied her stomach.


	45. Chapter 46

**BioWare owns all except for etc., etc., etc., which is too long a list now. LOL! : )**

_Well, Kai has been a busy girl. Zev seems to be warming more. But we still have a ways to go. A little more bridge building is in order. But on the upside, Kai has yet more soldiers signing on for the cause. Anora really is just begging for a smack down. But still things must be taken care of first. And it isn't just the smack down, but the opportunity or timing needs to be right as well, no? I hope you stay with me and our fearless Kai._

_Oh and a shout out to Night Hunter MGS again. This chapter was the chapter I intended to write for exactly the reason you wrote in your review. Sometimes people, are just nasty no matter what you do for them. And sometimes, things really can go South, and betrayal can cause people to get hurt and die unpleasantly. So in a sense, this chapter is dedicated to you. : ) So the bronto poo poo really hits the proverbial multi-bladed spinning thingy in this one. I hope you enjoy._

_Thanks again for the lovely reviews! They do help keep me on the path and keep it real. As you can see with the shout outs, you all really do help make the story so much better. So much love to you all. And thanks for the praise, it certainly makes the author feel good, but it helps me to stay in the bounds of reality. : )_

_Blessings!_

The rain made soft ticking sounds on the roof of the large Dalish tent as it fell from a sky laden with lead colored clouds. Occasionally, louder popping sounds would interrupt the gentle ticking as a leaf encumbered with the weight of too much water released its burden only to start collecting it all over again.

The tent was large, round and very spacious. It made Kai wish they had them when they were walking all over Thedas during the Blight. They would have been a lot more comfortable than the tents they had had. It wasn't just the fact that you could have furniture in them, but that one could actually stand and get dressed. Or stand at all without bumping one's head onto the canvas. The tent that clan keeper Lanaya had given them was furnished with a bed and table with chairs and soft rugs covered the entire floor over a round mat woven of soft reeds. It had big floor pillows as well. All of which Alariel had shown Kai folded up or could be packed up tight to fit in the aravel, or landship, and took up little or no room. It was extremely clever. Lamps hung from the poles on special hooks and made the tent light up like daylight and cast away the gloom. Special braziers made cooking on rainy days, like this one, possible and also provided warmth to keep out the Spring chill.

All in all, it was a very cozy little nest, and Kai actually preferred it to the farm hold. It was mobile, and she doubted very much that Anora would ever be able to find them, even if she had a mind to. Which she still didn't, of course, as Anora had no clue Kai lived. Add to that, packing everything and moving it all in aravels drawn by hallas had its advantages. They had been able to move away from Gwaren deeper into the Brecilian Forest after they had unloaded the one Tevinter ship that had had any lumber on it. They sent packing what few Tevinters were alive back to the Imperium with their tails between their legs. They had scuttled the other two ships, sinking them in the harbor. Being able to move quickly after that had been a bonus.

The tent also reminded her of some of her happiest moments when it was just the group of her friends and Alistair in camp. Camp had always been filled with laughter, food, stories, music and, with Oghren along, alcohol. It had also been where she had fallen in love. "I also remember the cold, hard ground, having rocks poking me in the back, and the lovely night that the Archdemon sent his darkspawn 'tax collectors' to attack the camp," Alistair's voice teased her in her ear. "Not to mention having to take watches, second watch being the worst. Oh, and then there was taking turns cooking. Or even worse, _eating_ the cooking. Oghren and I being the worst of the lot in the cooking department, I am surprised no one died from it." Alistair laughed into her ear.

"Aw, I thought your blackened rabbit stew was a culinary masterpiece." Kai teased him back. "And there were nights when you didn't notice the rocks poking you in the back." She could almost see him blushing at that last statement.

"More like a culinary disaster." She could hear the smile in his voice. "And you are a cheeky monkey!" Kai laughed. "You even make me blush in the Fade. And now your mother is going to want to know why. Thank you _so_ much!" Kai gave him a mental grin and a giggle.

Kai was standing and dressing Zev's wounds while he sat on a chair. Or rather they were taking turns dressing each others' wounds. Neither one of them had come out of the fight with anything really bad this time. Not even any broken bones. And she counted it as a miracle that neither one of them were comatose, especially herself. Since a couple of her Scath, a few of the villagers and one Dalish were in worse shape, Wynne and the Dalish healers were with them. Everyone else was left to tend to themselves with potions, salves and bandages. Fiona was on reserve, conserving her mana as they were low on lyrium for mana potions at the moment. She needed to send a someone to the mage tower to buy some. She made a mental note for later.

Argus lay on the floor, legs in the air, twitching in doggy dreams. Fiona sat on the bed with the twins, taking turns holding them up standing and in between lifting them up like flying birds and then pressing her lips to their tummies and vibrating them. Their giggles, laughs, and little chirps filled the tent along with the soft sound of the rain. It was all so _normal_. Well, except for dressing the deep gouge across Zev's chest. But other than that, it was a day where Kai could imagine she wasn't trying to save Ferelden. Where she could just _be_. There were so few of those. She intended to make the most of it. Playing with Fi and Duncan, and reading to them. Maybe napping with them for once. Kai went through a mental list of things she could do where she was just "Kai." Not "The Scathach," not "The Hero of Ferelden," not one part of "The Silver Griffon."

Maybe she could even try her hand at making a special meal. Alistair's talk of cooking in camp had brought it to mind. Nan had taught her how to cook, the joy and challenge of it. Despite the domesticity that cooking implied, Kai really enjoyed it. Not that while they were fighting the Bight, she had had access to good ingredients when it was her turn to cook. Supplies had sometimes been limited, to say the least, money too. But when she did have access to really good ingredients, it gave her great satisfaction to make something others would delight in.

Nan had always likened it to alchemy and art. Putting together ingredients to create something that would be a thing of delectation took talent and time. Kai had seen some fresh and wonderful ingredients at some of the market stands here in the Dalish camp including Kai's favorite ingredient, mushrooms. She was already planning a nice, succulent set of rabbits in a mushroom and garlic gravy for dinner. She would split the meat with a knife and tuck cloves of garlic in the slits as well. Then, she would let them bake in a little cast iron oven that was meant to dangle over the brazier. Just imagining the smells that would infuse the tent had her mouth watering in anticipation. Maybe some potatoes and carrots to roast with the rabbits. She figured when she was done doing first aid, she had best go shopping, and then play with Fi and Duncan. That way she could just set the rabbits to roast slowly. Just the fact that she could consider cooking instead of some strategy to save the world gave her another satisfied little glow.

"You look awfully pleased with yourself, my dear Grey Warden. And what could that devious mind be thinking of now?" Zev gave her a slight smile. Kai was very glad that after seeing her bloody shirt and after her pushing Keiron away by his face, Zev was slowly making his way towards warmer relations. He still didn't touch her much. But, his conversations were more like they had been at the beginning when she had first invited him to join them. She didn't care how long it took, as long as they were making progress. The way she figured, starting at the beginning again was better than having him shut her out as he had been doing.

"My devious mind, as you put it, was contemplating roasting rabbits in a garlic and brown mushroom gravy along with potatoes and carrots." Kai grinned at him. "That and playing with the twins and reading. Maybe a nap."

"Ah, very calculated and underhanded plans." He grinned at her. "I also saw some lovely greens that in Antiva we call espinaca. I have no idea what the Dalish call it. They are really tasty with a vinegar and oil sauce. I could make that. We can make a feast of it. Shall we invite our usual miscreants from the old camping days? They may be more inclined to come since we are doing the cooking rather than, say, the dwarf? I will even see if I can find a nice wine to go with it."

"I was just thinking about that. This reminds me of old times." Kai laughed

"Oh si, but for the fact we don't have to sit or sleep on the ground. I find this arrangement much more to my liking." He smiled as he put on a shirt. "Then I shall go and invite the rest for dinner tonight. And I will even do the shopping." He gave a little salute to her and Fiona, put on his oil skin rain coat, and slipped out of the door to the tent.

"He seems to be warming up a bit." Fiona's words echoed Kai's thoughts. She smiled and walked over to the bed, picking up Duncan and making him "fly" by spinning him around while he giggled.

"I know. I need to regain his trust, prove myself. It is the least that I can do, and what I should do. And what he deserves." Kai turned Duncan over and blew her lips on his belly as Fiona had been doing, causing his little face to light up as he giggled. She looked at Fiona. "My father always said that anything worth having is worth working hard for, and nothing free ever holds its value." Fi, being held by her grandmother, started to make her own burbling and chirping talk as if she agreed. Duncan started putting his own burbles in as well. Kai laughed at them and got on the bed so she could kiss Fi's little chubby cheek. "I guess they agree." Fiona laughed with her.

"You know, he forgot to take a bag with him." Fiona nodded toward a leather pouch on the table. "He might need help carrying it all." And she winked at Kai and looked towards the door. Kai grinned and put Duncan down with his sister and grandmother. "We will be waiting for you to get back. I think these two need a bath and a change anyway."

"Thank you for taking care of them, by the way." Kai stroked the woman's cheek. "I don't know what I would do without you." Fiona smiled at her and grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"I get to be with my grandchildren as I never got to be with Alistair. It is I who should thank you. But I appreciate the gratitude, especially when I am changing diapers." Fiona laughed at her. "Now go before Zevran has to carry everything back in his rain coat so that he winds up wet and miserable." Kai laughed and grabbed the leather bag off the table and slipped out the tent door herself.

Kai stood for a moment enjoying the light misting rain and the sense of twilight during noonday that always made her feel relaxed and cozy. Kai always loved this kind of weather, and she didn't mind getting wet. Poor Zev, he really hated the rain. Kai started walking towards the open area that the Dalish had set up as a market square. Some of the aravels made up the storefronts. And some of the booths rested against a huge boulder that had been carved in spirals by, she guessed, the elvenan long ago. It had ferns and moss growing on top and in some of the spirals. In this overcast light, the green of it and the grass she walked on almost glowed against the gray sky and the even darker gray stone slicked with moisture. Every sound seemed muted in this weather, even the elves calling to each other against the soft hissing of the falling rain. Kai noticed little white wildflowers growing in the grass at her feet. She let out a contented sigh as she continued forwards to meet up with Zev.

And then the world shattered with a large and horrendous BOOM! The ground shuddered beneath her feet. Kai turned to see what had caused it. Her first thought was maybe the blacksmith had been working something that had exploded? But the Dalish worked with wood, not metal or ore that might have some impurity which could do that. Another explosion along with screaming rocked the silence of the once quiet day. Again the ground shuddered. That explosion was followed by another and then another. Kai watched in horror as tents and, Maker, people were tossed into the air with dirt and debris. The already gray sky was becoming darker as dirt filled the air and yet another explosion, closer this time, made the ground shake again. It was then she saw armored men spilling from the woods around them. One came running for her, and she had just enough time to register that he had the heraldry of Bann Loren on his armor. She was unarmed, but her Qun training took over. As the man swung his sword upward behind him in a double-handed swing, Kai used the heel of her hand to push the bones of his nose into his brain. He went down twitching.

"Kai!" Alistair's voice sounded with alarm in her ear. "The twins!" Kai didn't bother to answer, she was already running for all she was worth back the way she had come. She was just in sight of the tent when another loud boom sounded and she watched as the tent was blown into the air in a shower of ripped canvas, broken furniture, and dirt. Kai was flying backwards just as she had on top of Fort Drakon. And just like Fort Drakon, she was screaming, "NO!" She landed with a thud on the soft wet ground, which gave under her when she landed. She didn't register the fall. She just kept screaming _No!_ into her own head, _her babies!_ She ran forward again to see a smoking crater. Another explosion and more screams, along with the alarmed yelling of those in the Dalish camp and a clashing of metal as the armored men met resistance.

Kai didn't care, overwhelming despair engulfed her. The world could burn, her children were dead. She started trying to get to her feet. She would find the nearest fight and let them kill her. "Kai, they aren't here!" Alistair's voice sounded relieved in her ear. Kai barely registered that he was speaking. "Beloved, they aren't here. They aren't in the Fade, them or my mother. She must have taken them to safety! KAI!" Kai shook herself.

"Are you sure?" Kai could barely let herself hope.

"Yes, my love, you showed up instantly, they would have too. They aren't here. But you need to fight and find them!" His worry broke through her fog. Yes, fight, find them, protect them. And find out who had led Bann Loren's men here. Kai turned and started back towards the fighting. One man saw her and came forward; she didn't even blink but went down on one hand and spun in a leg swipe and knocked the heavily armored man on his back where he sank into the soft ground. She crushed his windpipe with her foot. She took his one-handed sword and kept going toward the market area where the majority of the fighting seemed to be going on. Kai thought she heard someone calling to her, but everything sounded muted due to the proximity of the explosion at the tent; she felt as if her ears were stuffed with wool. She felt a hand grab her arm, and she swung around ready with the sword and an upraised fist.

"Scathach!" Naseel jerked back before Kai could swing. Kai grabbed her by her leathers.

"Find Fiona, Argus, and the twins! Find them and get them back to the safe house with Arl Eamon! Look to the woods near the tent. Give Argus the command 'cosain,' it means 'protect,' he will obey as only I use that word. Find them for me Naseel! Do it now!" Kai released the girl's leathers.

Naseel nodded and saluted. "It will be done Scathach."

"And Naseel, if I don't make it, you are the Scathach. Do you understand?" Kai pulled off her ring with the garnet in the middle of the open space in the knot. "Now go!" She watched Naseel disappear into the shadow of the woods. Kai spun on her heel and kept going. She came upon pockets of fighting – the Dalish, the villagers from Gwaren, Swiftrunner's pack, Scath, all fighting armored men. She saw Morrigan making a blizzard which caused a large group of the men to start to freeze in their own metal armor. Leliana was picking off them with her bow from atop an aravel while they squinted and yelled in the storm the witch had conjured. Sten had blood all over him as he cut swaths of men down with Asala. Kai only hoped it was mostly the other guys' blood, not his own.

Kai couldn't see Oghren, Shale, Zev or Keiron. It gave her a momentary hint of panic before she buckled down and shoved it aside to focus. She had her own little fights to occupy her mind soon enough, including saving a group of villagers. Kai found herself a little away from the crowd fighting a couple of men at once when she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Leave her to me." Kai spun to find Erys, one of her Scath, standing there with a smirk on her face. The men nodded and left to go find another fight. "Hello, Scathach." The young woman smiled again. "I had hoped to get you with my little surprise while you were in your tent. I had hoped to kill, what, three birds with one bomb?" Erys laughed. Kai growled and launched herself at her with a clanging of blades. They traded blows until Erys caught her on the jaw with the pommel of her dagger, sending Kai slipping on the wet grass and backwards with her jaw throbbing and her ears ringing. Her lip had split and was dripping blood down her chin, and she had blood in her mouth where the inside of her cheek had been cut by her teeth.

Kai just grunted with the impact. "What, you won't ask me why, _Scathach_?" Erys walked towards Kai who looked to see where her blade was. It was lying a little ways away. Kai flipped over and dove for it rolling over and putting it up just in time to parry Erys' next blow. Their blades clanked together, and Kai kicked the woman in the stomach hard, knocking her backwards and away so that Kai could get to her feet. Maker, she was tired; she could feel her muscles vibrating with the strain. Erys apparently had not been fighting all this time. "Fresh as a daisy" as her old nan used to say. The detached part of her mind giggled.

Erys recovered quickly and came at Kai again, giving her a nice slice on the forearm when she was a little slow in raising her arm to block. The cut was followed by another kick which caught her in the ribs, knocking the breath out of her. Erys just walked in a circle around her. She was playing with Kai, but Kai was not in the mood. Erys was just dying for Kai to ask about her reasons for the betrayal. Kai figured the bitch would have a long time waiting to get that satisfaction from her. If Erys wanted her know, she was just going to have to spill it on her own. Or, they could just keep on trying to kill each other.

Erys allowed Kai to recover before pivoting and swiping her across the back, adding another cut to go with the one on her forearm. Kai could feel the blood trickling down and wetting the leather shirt she wore. She gave Erys a cut across the woman's thigh as she passed her, but Erys was in full Scath leather armor; the cut was shallow and barely caused a reaction. Erys spun back again and put her elbow into Kai's already wounded back and knocked her down on the ground. Kai again felt her breath go out in a whoosh, and she grunted when she hit the ground with her chest. Then, the pain became excruciating as Erys put a boot into her back, grinding it into her wound and pushing her into the muddy ground. The dark mud became gray sky as the boot kicked Kai squarely in the ribs of her right side, and she felt some of them give as pain lanced through her torso. The force lifted her up and over onto her back as the bones cracked. The boot was pushed into her chest this time. Her wounded back and her ribs were screaming at her. Her sword was too far away to reach even if she wasn't pinned down.

"Ask me, oh great _Scathach._" Erys pressed harder, but Kai only grunted, grinding her teeth together to keep from screaming. "No? Well then, I suppose I shall just take your head. I had promised to hand it to those nice men down there. I promised Bann Loren he could have the head of 'The Silver Giffon' in exchange for providing the men to crush part of the rebellion. I didn't tell him that I planned to take the credit for it all, leaving him with nothing. I didn't tell him that you were also the Scathach and the 'Hero of Ferelden.' I wanted to see how much larger a reward there would be when I actually presented your head to Anora myself. Before I headed back to Antiva, of course, and became the master of the cell of Crows belonging to the noble house of Ines Aldonza." Erys laughed. "Say something Ferelden whore!" Erys took her boot off Kai's chest and kicked her in the undamaged ribs of her left side. Again, there was an unpleasant snapping adding another layer of pain.

"You really should have brushed up on your Antivan politics. You see, Lady Aldonza is the mother of Adulfo Cresconio." Erys crouched down to look Kai in the eyes. "It was a political marriage, and she kept her own name and her own house. It ended tragically when Osoro Cresconio was assassinated by, well, some Crows of course. Think of it as an Antivan divorce." Again Erys laughed at her own joke. "Lady Aldonza adored her son, the one you had killed. Madly and beyond reason she loved him, and he could do no wrong. Her only child too." Erys smiled and brushed dirt off of Kai's shirt. "She was convinced it was all Vimaro's fault that her son was delving into unsavory habits and sexual practices. She wanted Vimaro watched. So, she hired me to watch him, to look for an opportunity to rid her son of his bad influence. I was to take over Vimaro's house, but some Ferelden bitch just couldn't leave well enough alone. The Lady Aldonza had me stay to exact revenge upon you for her son, for myself too." Erys reached out and pulled Kai's head up by the hair and slapped her while putting her knee into her chest. Kai's ribs and wounded back flared with pain, and her vision went white before coming back into focus again. She hardly felt the slap.

"Any last words, _Scathach_?" Erys smiled down at her as she rose up to pull a long sword from its sheath, the edge of the metal making a hissing sound as it passed across the leather.

"Little girls who play with blades should always watch for poison." Kai grinned back through her bloody lips. "You may have gotten me, but I got you too."

Kai watched as Erys' face took on a puzzled look before she touched a hand to her nose, which had started to bleed. Erys just growled and raised the sword to aim at Kai's neck when the coughing started, causing the woman to drop her sword to try and breathe. The trickle of blood from the woman's nose started flowing in long ropey lines, getting thicker. It was followed by more wet coughing and blood began to fountain out of her mouth. Erys just looked at Kai with disbelief, bloody tears falling from the corners of her eyes, as she fell to her knees and gasped for breath in liquid gurgling tones. Kai watched her collapse onto her stomach. Kai slowly got to her knees and crawled to the long sword laying in the grass next to Erys. She used it to get herself up on her feet, leaning on it like an old woman does a cane. She limped over to the body, which had stopped breathing and pushed her over with the flat edge of the sword. The woman's empty eyes stared up at her while blood leaked from the corners, slowly mixing with the rain still misting from the sky so that she looked as if she were crying.

"That was close, my beloved. A good thing you learned poisons from Zevran." Alistair's voice held fear tinged with relief. "Apparently Erys missed that lesson." Kai was so busy putting one foot in front of the other she almost didn't answer, she just gave him a mental smile. Or at least a grimace and stopped for a moment. She needed the rest anyway.

"Or the woman thought that she would kill me easily without it, as I was already tired from fighting. I put it on the blade to give me an advantage. She thought she already had one." Kai continued moving again.

"Her mistake." Alistair's voice sounded fierce.

Kai kept walking slowly, using the sword as a cane, back to the area of the market place. In her beaten state, she was lucky she didn't put the point in her foot. Somehow, she managed not to. She passed by craters in the ground surrounded by debris and, in some cases, body parts. Kai wanted to empty her stomach, but the thought of heaving with broken ribs made her buckle it down. Though the nausea was horrible, she kept swallowing. She could still hear some fighting, but it didn't seem to be much.

Kai was so intent on walking she almost didn't hear the whispered voice calling her. Kai stopped and looked around. There were bodies everywhere. Men in plate, elves, humans. Maker, the body of a child. Kai's stomach didn't allow her to stop this time, cracked ribs or no. She thought she might pass out right there. But, the voice called again, "Scathach." Kai looked for the source. She saw Lelyth – sweet faced Lelyth who had ridden from the castle to join them in the forest to save Gwaren. Lelyth who had joined the Scath to save her little brother and sisters from starvation when they lost their parents due to Anora's petty madness. Lelyth who had wanted to take Ferelden back. Lelyth, betrayed by one of her own and the leader who didn't see it coming.

Kai lowered herself down next to the girl. Her side was one big mangled mass of blood and burns. It looked as if an explosion had caught her, she was like a broken doll. Kai tried to put her hands on the wound to stanch the bleeding, but it was like sinking her hands into the girls ribs. "No, Scathach, I cannot feel anything. I am...," her eyes fluttered and her breath got light, "I am broken on the inside. Please, make sure my brother and sisters are taken care of. Tell them I did what was right."

Kai felt the tears running down her face. "You will be OK. You can tell them all about your adventures yourself."

Lelyth smiled a peaceful smile. "It has been an honor to serve Ferelden and the Theirin line. But most of all, it has been an honor to learn and work under someone like you, Scathach, Kai, my lady. You will save it all."

"And you will save it with me, do you hear? With me, with me." And Kai gave her a small shake, but the big, blue eyes were vacant. When the last of Loren's men had finally been brought down, they found her cradling her Scath in her arms whispering, "with me."


	46. Chapter 47

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc.. : )**

_**Sorry this was delayed, the site wouldn't let me upload it until now. : (**_

_I am glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. So far things had been going really well for our intrepid hero. A little too good. And as we all know, life likes to throw our tits in a wringer on occasion. Without challenge, there is no growth. And while I have been doing a lot of "action" writing, this chapter will have to be more about the emotional aftermath of such betrayal and destruction. And so it is going to be hard to write for me. I tend to put myself in the places of people and try to feel what they would feel._

_Thank you all for the reviews, including Night Hunter who is still following and reviewing despite computer issues, which are always such a pain in the arse. Now that is dedication! To Greyism's generosity, I am humbled. To Shanda, Misame, Jeanny, Phoenix Fire Lady, Sincerity, Serika, kjmisme, Violet Theirin, Sagebeth, Isawa Sadako, Ruttan, Patchwork Toy, Ondjage, Cataclysmic Eclipse, Kelly Lynne, Andraste's Knickers, CynderJenn, Hallawes, Akane Yamabuki, Lisette57, phoenixandashes, hetekos, Riannya(my newest fan : ) ). I wanted to say thanks to you all personally here. I am overwhelmed and humbled by your support. So a shout out of much gratitude to bolster myself for Chapter 46 (and others, I think this emotional aftermath may span multi-chapters) and its emotional roller coaster. I know this chapter is going to hurt writing it. Hang on to your hats, it's going to be a bumpy ride, as Betty Davis once said._

_Blessings! : )_

Someone put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a shake. Her ears still felt as though wool was stuffed in them, so she must not have heard her name. Or maybe it was being caught in her own world of loss and despair. Kai looked up, her eyes still filled with tears. They just wouldn't stop, or was it the rain? She realized that they must have been surrounding her for some time. She gently lay Lelyth's body back on the ground, since she had been cradling it. The red of her blood on the green grass was so bright in this light. For how long had she held her? It could have been years. Kai felt old, old, old.

It was Zevran who had shaken her. He was sporting more cuts, including a nasty one that had blood trailing down his arm. Sten stood behind him with what looked like a hole in his shoulder, a gash across his abdomen and another across one large muscled thigh, all of which he seemed oblivious to. Morrigan had minor cuts, but the deep dark circles under her eyes told Kai her major injury was that she was depleted of mana. Leliana apparently had not been able to keep all her opposition at bay with her bow, as she too had several gashes that suggested she had to do close in fighting. Her Scath stood around them in various states of trauma. She did not see Shale, Oghren, or Keiron. Wynne bent down to try and minister to Kai's wounds, but she waved her off, "Save it for the others. These injuries are nothing I have not had before."

"Really, or is it that you want to punish yourself?" Wynne asked her crisply.

"Both." Kai just kept looking at Lelyth's body and then at her hands and shirt sleeves which were covered in the girl's blood. Kai used her bloody fingertips to close Lelyth's unseeing eyes which had filled with rain, making her look as though she were crying as well. Crying over her betrayal and a leader who should have done better by her. Kai was reminded of her nightmare, just one more body to add to the group on top of the nightmare Fort Drakon. "Betrayer, you betrayed us all," and she had, hadn't she? By not seeing a snake in their midst. "Where are Shale and the rest?"

"Keiron is wounded badly, but he will live," Zev's tone held the barest undercurrent of "unfortunately" in it. "Oghren is taking care of Shale. She was shielding some villagers from a bomb." He put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from jumping up. "Oghren found some of that plaster cement mixture that the Dalish use to fix broken statues of their gods on their travels. We have used it before as a bandage for Shale; the living stone will heal. It is getting her to stay still that is the problem. I estimate you have lost maybe one third of the Scath who came with us, including Lelyth. Others sport injuries varying in degrees; one has lost his arm, but he will live."

"You will need to include Erys in that number, as I killed her." Kai still sat looking at her red hands and blood splattered sleeves and her blood soaked pants. She heard the intake of breath and the mumbling of her Scath behind her. She explained without taking her eyes from her hands and lap what had happened. How Erys had told her about Lady Aldonza. How Erys had planned on killing her in her tent with the bomb. How it was Erys who had betrayed them all, for power and revenge.

"Had she told Bann Loren who you are?" Kai felt Zev squeeze her shoulder hard with concern.

"No, she told him she would give him the head of 'The Silver Griffon' in exchange for men to stop the rebellion. She meant to betray him and present my head to Anora after finding out how much of a reward there would be for 'The Hero of Ferelden' instead. And with the deaths of my children, Anora would certainly have given her a bonus." Kai looked up at the still, gray, cloudy sky with the softly misting rain. A part of her mind was fascinated that it was still falling as it had been just a few hours ago. Really? It felt like an eternity since she was stepping out of the tent thinking of nothing more than cooking rabbits for supper. Kai felt as if she were moving in slow motion. Zev's hand squeezed harder and shook her.

"Kai, the twins!" She heard his fear.

"They are fine, as far as I know. They are not in the Fade. Alistair told me so." _And if they had been you wouldn't be talking to me right now,_ she thought. "Fiona must have taken them and Argus out of the tent before the bomb went off. I sent Naseel to find them and take them to the safe house back near Denerim."

"Or at least that is what the Scathach told me to do, but I am afraid that the lady mage had other ideas. And Argus would not leave her or the babes," Naseel's exasperated voice came from behind her. Kai did heave herself up with the sword as a cane again as she watched Fiona, carrying the huge handled basket that they often put the twins in for transport, come striding forward with Argus and Naseel at her heels. Fiona walked up to Kai and put the basket down gently. The top was covered with a blanket to keep out the rain. Kai reached out a hand and gently lifted it to see Fi and Duncan sleeping peacefully, their little thumbs in their mouths. She swayed with relief as Zev's hand grabbed her upper arm, steadying her. She started to reach out and touch them, but the bright red of her bloody hand against the blanket stopped her. She was not going to touch them with death on her fingers. She put the blanket back.

"I heard the first explosion. I have heard that sound before when I was in the Tevinter Imperium on Grey Warden business. The Qunari were attacking with their cannons," Fiona told her. "I got the twins, put them in the basket and grabbed Argus. We went and hid in the woods.

"It is a black powder my people call 'The Lion's Roar,'" Sten explained. "Apparently this Erys had some. It needs only to be put in a bottle or jar with a rag that has been dipped in something flammable. One lights the rag, and when the fire gets to the powder, it explodes. It is best not to hold it once it is lit"

"Well, it is very effective." Kai's voice sounded bitter to her own ears.

"Indeed."

"Fiona, we need a safe place for the twins. Argus, 'cosain.' Naseel, I need you to talk to Zaeed on the procul globe. Tell him that Erys betrayed us and that she was working for Lady Aldonza. Tell him to inform Ignacio." Naseel nodded. "Then I need you to ride to the mages' tower, we need lyrium for mana potions." Kai realized she didn't have any coins on her, and what she had in the way of money was probably scattered around the area as it was all in the tent. She was about to hand Naseel her 'cane' to sell when Zev handed her the coin pouch containing all the money they had brought on this trip. She had forgotten he was going to do the shopping for their meal. Well, at least something was going right, thank the Maker.

She dug into it and handed Naseel a handful of different coins. "We are going to need not only lyrium, but flasks and reagents. Pick up some supplies for health potions and injury kits as well. Anything that will help with this. Bandages too. I know the Ceffyls won't have run away. Ride as fast as you can. We are close to the Imperial Highway from here and closer to the mage tower than I had hoped. If anyone offers to come and help, ask to speak to Head Enchanter Irving only. We can trust him, the others I do not know about. Definitely not the Templars, do you understand? Take Wynne with you, as a mage from the tower, it will keep them from giving you any grief. In fact, see First Enchanter Irving right off." Naseel nodded, bowed and strode off to the pens where the hallas and the Ceffyls had been put.

Wynne opened her mouth to protest. Kai interrupted, "Your mana is almost gone, I can see it on your face. The sooner you go, the sooner you get back. It will help smooth the path to what we need, and you can drink a mana potion while you are there. Please, just go." Wynne nodded, her mouth a thin line, and followed after Naseel.

Kai turned to two of her Scath, telling them where Erys' body was and asking it be brought to her. She turned to Fiona, "Please heal Sten. Sten will you watch over the twins with Argus?" The Qunari nodded, his lavender eyes watching her.

"I do not require healing magic, kadan." His eyes never left hers. She waved a dismissive hand and nodded to Fiona. Kai barely registered that more people, human and elven had started to join the crowd already around her.

"Then we are going to need you Fiona, as you were on reserve, so your mana levels are good?" Kai looked at Fiona who nodded. "And everyone who can do first aid, bandage each other first. Anything that can be made into a bandage use it. Make sure it is as clean as you can. Someone needs to look for poultices and potions. We also need to start finding survivors and taking care of them. If you find any healing poultices or if you know how to make them, then use them on those most grievously injured first."

"And who are you to be giving orders?" an angry male voice demanded from her left. Kai turned and the crowd parted to reveal a man holding the limp, dead body of a little boy. Kai thought her heart would stop; she had a vision of Oren lying on the floor in Highever the night he died. "You promised us we would be safe, and my boy is dead! DEAD!" the man screamed into the murmuring crowd. "You made us leave our home. You said we would be all right! LIAR! We came here live like animals with knife ears. And what did it get us?"

"Knife ears? You dare insult us, shemling? We let you use our home and look what it brought us! Are shems the only ones dead? I can't find my sister! You shems with your bullying and your destruction. Then you mewl like infants when your lives show the least little bit of sorrow or hardship, while my people know hardly anything but sorrow and hardship. You shems, acting as if the world belongs to you and only you! You are the animals, not us!" an elven man in hunter's armor stained with blood and wet with rain glared at the villager. Angry murmurs and yelling back and forth began to rise over the group of elves and humans.

Kai felt as if she had been struck; in fact if the man had used his fist, it would have had just as much impact. Kai could only bite her lower lip as tears started to flow down her cheeks again. She felt sick to her stomach. He was right after all. They both were. She had told them they would be safe. The elves had let them here because of good will towards her. "You are both right." She said it so quietly that everyone went silent just to hear her. She spoke more loudly. "You are both right." She just looked at the little boy; she started to reach out a shaking bloody hand to touch him and thought better of it. "I told you to leave, that you would be safe. And one of my own betrayed us all. But it was my responsibility. The elves let you all here despite their justified mistrust of humans because of me. If you must take your anger out on someone, let it be me. Not each other." Kai looked all around the crowd. "I failed you all, and I am sorry for it. I will never be able to make amends for it. I know this." She just let the tears slide down her cheeks. She handed the sword to the elven man in front of her. "I am the one you should turn your rage on."

What was there to say? She thought appealing to the best in people would work. But more the fool her. Had her run-ins with the likes of Concha and Vimaro taught her nothing? Or even the darkspawn? Some did not have any good in them to be appealed to. And who had paid the price for her folly? Not her, no, not Kaidana Cousland. No, everyone else. This man, his son, the elves, Lelyth. Maker, Lelyth and her siblings all paid. Kai felt overwhelming guilt swamp her, threatening to swallow her whole. Zev reached for her, but she shook him off. She hardly deserved any comfort or kindness. She had brought them all to ruin.

"Then I failed you as well," Alariel strode through the crowd and stood by Kai. Kai shook her head and started to protest. "Do _not _tell me, shem, what I must do or say. You do take so much on yourself. Even for a shem you are very odd and maddening in your desire to take all the responsibility." Alariel turned back to the man. "_I_ told you that you would be safe. _I _promised on the blood of my clan. The fault also lies with me. The Warden _asked_ you to leave, she did not _make_ you leave. There was certain danger if you stayed. She gave you a choice when you did not have one before. Do not fault her that the choice was not all it should be. Life rarely is. My people have learned this. We have all lost today, including her." Alariel gestured to Kai's bloody clothes, her bloody lip and battered face. Then, she pointed to Lelyth. "I know you grieve, shem, my people know what grief is. I say we must focus on the ones who really caused it. Bann Loren and the shem Queen Anora."

The crowd began to murmur, whether in agreement or dissent, Kai could not say. "It is as my clanswoman says. We all have our parts to play. And Bann Loren and Anora were the biggest players in all of this," Lanaya the clan keeper spoke from the back of the crowd.

"But it was one of hers that betrayed us, how can we trust any of them?" The man was not yet ready to give up on his anger, nor did Kai blame him.

"Can anyone truly know the heart of another? Our clan elder before me lived with us for centuries. He guided us, protected us. He even rescued me from shem bandits. We thought we knew him. But he kept his hurt and grief over the terrible deaths of his children to himself. He let it fester, and he did a fearful thing. He cursed the shems who did it, but his curse did not just affect those who deserved it, but those who were innocent, as curses so often do. He did not care. And when the curse came back to affect his own clan, the people he supposedly cared for, he would have let us suffer rather than let go of his sorrow and anger. He cradled those feelings in his heart, turning it black, letting it putrefy like a rotten wound. He did not tell us, not any of us, though he claimed we were his family. We did not know his true heart. And my people knew him for centuries. It was the Warden who convinced him to release the curse. He and she saved us all. In the end, he was a hero because he let his despair and rage go. But, he fooled us all, and we knew him for so long. She knew this one only a little while." Lanaya gestured toward the body he carried, "You could be like him, like Zathrian, let your hurt and animosity fester and rot. Turning your anger on those who are not to blame. Or, you can grieve and in time it will heal. And if the Warden is successful, justice will be done. Of that I am certain."

Lanaya walked up to the man, she put her hand on the boy's forehead briefly and then she touched the man's cheek. "Because of this shem Warden, we have learned that as the elvenan, we too were holding our grief and anger too close. If we don't let it go, we will never truly be free. Treaty aside, that is why we sent an elven army to help stop the Blight. It is why I agreed to have you all stay with us. And I hold no regrets over my decision to do so." Lanaya looked at Kai with a sad smile. "I do, however, hold anger at the targets who deserve it. I understand that the Warden killed the one who betrayed her and put this in motion?" Kai nodded at her.

"The body is being brought to me." Kai gestured in the direction of it.

"Then, one has justice. The others may take time, but by working together, I am certain that they too will be brought to their proper reward. We Dalish will help with that. Let that sit in your heart instead. Let it sit in all our hearts!" The elven leader let her gaze work its way slowly around the crowd. "Now it is as the Warden has said, we need to find survivors. We will need to tend to the dead and move from this place." Lanaya touched Kai's arm, and the crowd started to disperse. The elven hunter handed Kai back the sword, touching her arm as well before turning to go.

Her Scath arrived carrying Erys' corpse. They lay it at her feet. Zevran crouched next to it and examined at the body, "Ah, you used the poison 'Blood's Bite.' Very effective and fast acting, and very painful. You chose well." He started searching the body, pulling out papers, and a velvet sack with a round object in it. "Well, well, a procul globe. No doubt the Lady Aldonza has its mate." Zev also removed the Scath jewelry. Then, he stood up and looked at her.

Kai gasped at the effect swinging the sword had on her broken ribs. She swung it anyway and severed the head from the body with such force that the sword stuck in the wet ground. Or could it be that she was too tired to pull it out? She grunted again with the grinding of bones on one another as she bent down and grasped the head by the hair. Turning to her Scath, she held it out for one of them to take. "Strip the body of armor. Dump it in the woods, let the animals have it. Put this head in a sack, take it to Bann Loren's estate. Take one of his men's pieces of armor with his heraldry on it as well. Make sure he gets them both. Make sure he knows they are from 'The Silver Griffon.' Let's give him a message that will make him lose sleep at night. Be creative. Two of you should go, one ex-Crow, one Ferelden Scath. I want you to work together, watch each others' backs. I know what Erys did may cause you all to look at each other with suspicion. We will address that later. Now is not the time for it." Kai felt even older. So much to do, and it had been a day for relaxation so short a time ago. "For now, we are still family. Remember, 'dileas go deo,' always faithful. Erys never stopped being a Crow in her heart. She was not family after all." Two of her Scath looked at each other and then bowed and started towards the pens, carrying the head.

Kai looked at the others; Fiona had already begun work on Sten. "The rest of us need to get bandaged and help. Let's not stand around." Kai took one last look at Lelyth's body and limped off to towards the tents still standing to look for bandages. She had a really long day still left ahead of her.


	47. Chapter 48

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc., because I have too much to fit here that is my own creation. But thanks to BioWare for the inspiration. : )**

_So, the last chapter dealt with some of the emotional aftermath, mostly of the humans and elves. That was my main focus. I dealt with some of Kai's inner workings in the last one, but you know her. Plus she is pretty sliced up and beaten up and not taking care of herself. Partly her way of doing penance. But good friends won't necessarily let her get away with that. And the clean up and funerals are going to be hard, for me and Kai. I hope you continue to enjoy. : )_

_Thanks for sticking with me and all the support. And the great ideas. Don't worry, more shout outs are coming, when I use things you say. You all are such a creative lot. I love that! And much love and gratitude to you all. And the shout outs to you all really helped bolster me for the last chapter. Sorry about the delay in it. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai had managed to find more health poultices and bandages in the tent Erys shared with some of her fellow Scath. In fact it was her Scath that had a substantial cache of the same since they had, as Crows, been trained to always be prepared. She was trying to make sure that they kept up the good habits of their former training and left the bad behind. She had the other Scath go to the tents of those she had sent on errands, as well as their own, to collect what they had to bring back to the tent she was in. She wanted to make it the first aid tent, with the two neighboring tents next to it as well, if they needed them. Maker, she hoped they wouldn't, but even she knew that it was probably going to be necessary, with likely another tent added as well.

She began by bandaging Zev again and made him take a small swallow of a health potion for the nasty gash in his arm. She didn't like the look of it. When she was finished, she started to grab some supplies to see if she could help with other survivors, but Zevran was not about to let her leave without a look over. "My dear Grey Warden, just where do you think you are going?" Zev's amber eyes watched her intently.

"To see to the other wounded. And we need to set up one of these tents as a first aid station. I wanted to use this one, since the potions and bandages are here. We need to tell Lanaya so she can spread the word. You all will need to clear out the furniture, except for the beds, and find more beds to fit in here." Kai started to limp away. She began putting a few bandages and poultices for any wounded she might come across into a bag she found. Zev reached out and grabbed one of her wrists, holding it tightly. "I am fine, Zev, really."

He just studied her with those unreadable amber eyes and then gave a quick, firm tug on her wrist, eliciting a small cry of pain when the broken ends of her ribs ground against each other. "_Fine? _ I think not. Drink from this and do not argue." He pressed the health potion she had made him drink from into her hand. She grimaced and took a small sip. "That was hardly anything. More, my dear Warden, do not in your weakened state make me force you to drink it. Not in front of the Scath." His voice took on a teasing edge as if to say "not in front of the children," and he grinned at her.

"'Tis a very nasty cut across her back where the bandage from the first did not stop it, and 'tis covered in filth and mud. T'will need to be cleaned out carefully." Morrigan had come behind her while she was swigging from the bottle. Kai felt cool fingers removing the bandage that covered her other cut. "I have sent the bard to the elf leader to tell her your plans for the tent. She will also inform Fiona. And the other Scath will take out the furniture. You will stay here, sister, and have your wounds tended to."

"We really don't have the time, we need to help the elves and the villagers." Kai started to protest, but Zev had not let go of her wrist. Instead, he pulled her across the tent (her broken ribs protesting the whole way) and made her lie on the bed on her stomach, while his quick hands took a dagger and cut the leather shirt wide open from the hole already in it. "Zev, I can't go around the camp topless!" Kai wanted to protest and started to rise, but his hand held her pinned firmly in place.

"My dear Warden, you do not see what we see, and it is not pretty. We will not lose you to your own stubbornness and an infection. This wound gets cleaned out now, not later." Kai felt Zev straddle her hips, his weight pressing her further into the mattress. The potion seemed to be working on the ribs, it didn't hurt when he put his weight on her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Morrigan's skirt as she worked with Zev, handing him a basin of what she guessed was water. She felt his breath close to her ear as he bent to speak to her. "This may hurt, but I will try to be as gentle and as quick as I can, my dear friend." She felt a quick touch of his fingers in her hair rubbing the nape of her neck before they withdrew.

She felt water at first and then pain as he scraped the wound with a wet cloth. Erys must have really ground in the dirt and mud. Kai just grunted and ground her teeth together. It took several basins of water to get it all cleaned out. Finally, she felt his nimble fingers gently stroking salve into the wounds. That part was so pleasant, she drifted between sleeping and waking. It was the barest touch of what she thought were lips at the junction between her shoulders and her neck, sending a shiver down her spine, that had her wide awake in a blink. She wasn't sure that was what she felt, maybe she had been dreaming? Before she could puzzle it out in her own head, Zev gently lifted himself off of her.

Kai pushed herself up, clutching what was left of the shirt to her chest. Morrigan began putting clean bandages on the newly cleaned wounds. When she was done Kai found Zevran holding a tunic out for her to wear along with some leggings, since the ones she wore were covered in filth and blood. Kai could only look at them, wondering if they were Erys'. They were in her tent after all. Kai figured she would rather run around in her small clothes than touch anything belonging to that reptile, let alone wear it. Zev must have read her face. "It is not anything of hers. One of the elves donated these for you to wear. Have no fear, my friend." He knew her so well. Kai took them and quickly stripped out of her ripped and bloody clothing. Her small clothes had blood, _Lelyth's blood_ she reminded herself, on them too. But the clean outer garments were better than nothing.

"Thank you both." Kai smiled at them. "Morrigan, would you mind staying here and helping direct things? The two tents next to this one can be used for first aid as well. I...I don't know what we are going to find out there." Kai clenched and unclenched her fists and looked away to collect herself. Morrigan just stroked her cheek and nodded. Kai turned and looked at Zev and motioned towards the door of the tent. Time to get to work. Maker, this was going to be hard.

When she and Zev got outside they found a group of people leading the wounded like Keiron, whom they knew about, and the ones that had been found to the first aid tent. They were going to need more than one. Kai took deep breaths of air, gulping to keep herself under control. Zev just put his hand on her shoulder. She turned away to go down the hill and find out where Alariel was directing people to search, she hoped to join one of the groups.

In the market place, which had not been hit except by debris and dirt, Kai and Zev ran into Swiftrunner and a young elven woman with what looked to be all of the children, both elves and humans. The young elven man who had argued with the father of the dead boy came running up. "Lana!" He grabbed her and hugged her tight.

"Tythen!" She hugged him back. "I was watching the children today. Swiftrunner was close by when we heard the explosions. He grabbed me and insisted we round up the children. He helped me do so. We ran into the forest as a bomb went off right where the children were playing. He saved us all. And when he saw the men in armor, he had the children and I cover ourselves with leaves and hide while they walked by. But I couldn't find one of the human children, Caven. Liradeth told me he went back to his family's tent to get his toy knights to play with so they could share. He is the only child I cannot account for." The girl's eyes got wide and filled with tears when he told her that Caven was dead. "I should have gone with him or sent another adult. He might still be alive if I had," Lana sobbed.

"No, it is my fault." Lana turned to look at Kai as did Swiftrunner. Kai explained about the betrayer in her Scath. The explosions, the soldiers. That Erys was dead along with so many others.

"My love, you take too much on yourself. It was not all your doing," Alistair's voice tried to soothe her.

"It is mine to take, I am the leader, it falls on me." Kai gave him a bitter chuckle. "Maybe I didn't play 'Wicked Grace' against Andraste as well as I thought." Maker, she felt a thousand years old and so tired. She wanted nothing more than to lie down on the grass and go to sleep and forget about it all. With any luck when and if she woke up, she would no longer be the one everyone looked to. "I understand why you never wanted to lead, my beloved. What was it you asked Shale once? 'Have you ever been responsible for someone else's life or a nation or a lot of lives? No? Then shut up.' Sometimes I want nothing more than to tell them all to shut it." Alistair's voice had nothing to say to this. What could he say? Kai gave another bitter laugh.

Kai explained that Lanaya and Alariel were directing others to help with the search and to help gather up the dead. _Or pieces of the dead_, Kai thought viciously at herself. And who had done that? Ah, yes, she had. She told Lana that the others would want to know the children were safe and they should probably take them to Lanaya, who was most likely at the tents, so she could tell the rest. Lana just nodded, and she and the rest turned towards the tents.

"Kai, what is it that you are doing?" Zev grabbed her arm and spun her to face him when she turned to walk behind the others.

"Whatever do you mean, Zevran?" she asked him with mock sweetness.

"You cannot take the entire burden of this upon yourself."

"Oh, can't I? How am I supposed to trust any of my ex-Crows? How am I supposed to trust myself? Maker, Zev! I begged them not to send me back from the Fade, as all I do is cause death and destruction! But oh no, I had to come back! And to what purpose? More death, more suffering. How many of those children are going to be orphans? How many, Zev? How many people are going to be missing a mother, father, sister, brother, husband or wife? That man lost his child! And who sits at the middle of it all? Oh yes! ME!" Kai was shaking. She buckled it down. "If you can show me anyone who could have done worse, good luck with it." And she turned and strode off to find Alariel to start collecting the dead. At least she couldn't hurt the dead anymore.


	48. Chapter 49

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc.. Because I have too much of my stuff to list it all. : )**

_So we have our fearless leader, who as leader, is taking responsibility for well, everything. Zev and Kai's relationship may be coming together, but Kai is falling apart, even if she doesn't show it, yet. So more emotional angst all around. Thanks for sticking with me! : )_

_And again thanks for the reviews, and suggestions, and catching my mistakes. I apologize, as Kalan Jade pointed out I had some glaring errors with tenses in 47. I think I fixed them all. Made things smoother. I blame my being really dog tired, the cats for interrupting me every five minutes, at least it seemed that way. And I blame the husband who kept distracting me with the weird crap he was watching from Fark on the internet while waiting for his dungeons on WoW. UGH! I need a laptop! ROFL! I hope you will go back and reread it, nothing major changed. Just tweaked it a bit, smoothed it out. I hope it is better, Kalan Jade. You guys are so wonderful. Much love to you all. : )_

_**And I am so sorry I didn't get this out last night! : (**_

_Blessings!_

By the time all the dead had been gathered, or parts of the dead, Kai was a mess again. Then came the painful part of identifying them. Kai had taken it upon herself to identify her Scath. Zev had been correct; they had lost a third to Erys' treachery, both native and ex-Crow alike. At least that might help bridge the divide of suspicion that was sure to be in the making. It was something she would be sure to bring up. Erys hadn't targeted one over the other, and she had grown up with her fellow Crows. Again, Kai felt guilt and her own twinges of doubt and distrust. Not just for her ex-Crows, but mostly for herself as a leader. If she hadn't see it coming, how the hell was she of any use to anyone, let alone Ferelden?

She shoved that aside and helped arrange the dead for the pyres they would be lighting. Swiftrunner and his clan, several villagers and elves, and Oghren were all gathering wood to make the bonfires. Luckily, it had been raining so they were unlikely to burn the forest down. Kai let that bitter joke hang in her thoughts.

Wynne and Naseel returned and promptly went to the first aid tent to deliver their materials and goods. Irving and two other mages had accompanied them. Apparently their talk with him had gone well. Kai was just pleased to see no Templars had insisted on coming along for the ride. They were joining Fiona and Morrigan who, for whatever reason, had learned some minor healing spells from the Warden mage. She was glad Morrigan had done so, now.

Zev had trailed her and helped, keeping his mask in place but watching her out of the corners of his amber eyes. Kai just kept it all locked down, each person or body part was just another object to be put in a certain place. She might not have been able to keep up that facade in her own head if she had collected Lelyth's body, but someone else must have done it, because she went to where it had lain and only a bright stain in the green grass had remained. Kai had stood and watched the bloody pool as the rain had made it overflow and smaller rivulets traveled outward, staining even the white wildflowers that she had found so beautiful earlier. Was that today? Really? It felt like a lifetime, or two, or three. Kai wondered if Zevran had made sure someone else had taken care of it. It would be just like him; he never missed a trick. All the bodies were covered once they were identified and set beside the ever growing piles of wood, to go with the ever growing piles of bodies. Which of the coverings held Lelyth, she could not say.

Kai's only break from corpse collection was to feed the twins. She had washed herself in a basin of water thoroughly, watching it turn brown with a good amount of red. But even feeding them hadn't given her the usual blissful feeling it did, which only compounded her feelings of guilt, as she felt she was cheating her own children out of a bonding act between them. She had kissed their little faces, handed them to Lana who was still watching all the children, and put back on her soiled shirt and walked back out to start all over again.

What did she feel? Absolutely nothing. It stunned her, there really was nothing there. Not the numbing wall she felt after Alistair and Fort Drakon. The wall behind which her grief and anger had hidden close to the surface. This was nullity, as if the abyss and everything else had just turned into a void, black as the space between the stars. It had her blinking in surprise. She was not sure what it meant. Since she had too much work to do, gory work at that, she didn't look too carefully at this new development.

As the day ground itself towards the evening, the overcast day and its silver and granite clouds made the twilight appear more shaded, muting everything into even hazier versions of their original forms. It was as if the world were trying to slip sideways into another realm, taking them all into the Fade, perhaps. Dusk seemed to come early with the rain laden atmosphere that had started out so cozy and become so somber. Kai decided to visit the first aid tents. She wanted to see her wounded Scath. Even that clown Keiron deserved a visit though she was sure she would smother him with a pillow at the first sign of his usual hero worship. She really, really couldn't take that at the moment.

She started towards the first aid tent with Zev following silently behind her. She was surprised he did not try and stop her as she had been so intent on her blaming herself earlier.

"Maybe he figures you will go anyways, as you are so pigheaded. And he should just stay close, I want him to stay close. My beloved..." Alistair's concern was palpable, but she cut him off.

"Don't, just don't. I am not going to do this right now." Kai just kept on walking. She pushed the doorway to the first tent aside. Lamps were on their hooks in the tent. The brazier in the middle of the room gave off a welcome heat, keeping out the chill that was settling in more heavily now that night was falling. There were five beds total. Where one bed should be stood Shale. She had multiple large swaths of cream colored plaster 'bandages' along her back, coming around a little on her broad shoulders and her legs. Some of her augmentation crystals were broken and chipped, and they were not glowing a bright green as usual. Even the magical symbols on her forehead and her forearms were not their usual bright, almost white light. They were dimmer and muted.

Shale said she never slept, but she had never been wounded this badly before. It seemed to Kai that if she was not sleeping, then she was shut down in some way. Maybe the golem had a kind of shut-off-in-case-of-dire-injury mode. Shale was, after all, made of living stone. Wounds healed eventually on Shale, just like a person, provided they weren't too grievous. Kai decided not to "wake" her stone friend.

Kai felt more guilt. Shale had been hurt very badly, more than Zev had let on. Badly hurt because the golem was protecting villagers who should not have needed it from a bomb that should never have been thrown. Kai clenched her fists and unclenched them a few times. She made a note to buy Shale a new set of crystals as soon as she could. Aside from the fact the crystals enhanced Shale's fighting abilities, the golem loved to sparkle. After all, there was a female dwarf inside the stone skin.

She took a tour around the tent, stopping by bedsides to see each person – villager, elf, former werewolf, or Scath. Kai stopped by a bed where Naseel was sitting holding the hand of one of Kai's quieter and younger Scath. He was the one who had lost an arm, and thank the Maker he seemed to be in no pain and fast asleep. His name was Rajed, and he was so shy that Kai had had a hard time getting him to even look at her, let alone talk to her at the safe house or the Scath hideouts in Denerim. He had reminded her of someone, but she could never quite place who. In fact Kai had wondered how someone so shy and sweet had become a Crow in the first place. He always made her think of a younger, less suave Zev. She wondered if this was what her friend had been like when he was a little boy, as opposed to this grown man. It was when they were at the hideout in Denerim before the raid on the mercenary ship that Naseel had explained that Rajed was Zaeed's little brother. He had only become a Crow because the brothers had refused to be parted, and Zaeed had helped shield his brother from Vimaro's torture and mistreatment as best he could. It was the only reason that Rajed had made it as long as he had in Vimaro's house. Now she was going to have to tell Zaeed about his brother and his injury. Maker, would it never end?

Kai stroked Rajed's cheek and put a hand on Naseel's shoulder. She vowed that Rajed would not be made to feel cast out or unwanted just because of the arm. They were family, dammit, Scath took care of their own. Naseel smiled at her and reached into the pouch tied to her leather belt. "I have your ring, Scathach. It belongs to you." Naseel handed the black iron ring with the three crescent moons and the triple knot back to her.

"I need to tell Zaeed about his brother, Naseel. I..."

"Please, Scathach, I told him already. He is just happy his brother is alive. I told him how well he is being cared for. Zaeed is comforted and said he knew that it would be so. You had so much on your mind already, Scathach, and you have been working so hard, it was the least I could do to ease your burden. The healers say he will make a full recovery." Naseel smiled at her, and then stroked Rajed's forehead. "Zaeed told me to tell you all is well, and Lady Aldonza would be dealt with. Master Ignacio was livid. They will be on their way the day after tomorrow." Kai just swallowed and nodded. She hesitated to put back on her ring, the ring with the garnet in it, the ring of the Scathach. But she slipped it on her middle finger, looking at the words "dileas go deo" one word each written in the curve of each crescent, "always faithful."

Her next stop was Keiron. He was sleeping leaning up on pillows. His muscled torso was shirtless and a large swath of white bandages with spots of red blood seeping through covered most of his abdomen, his chest and a white line of bandage wrapped itself up over his shoulder diagonally down his back to be attached back to the bandages on his chest. One of his hands was wrapped up and a good part of the wrist. He was pale and appeared to be sleeping. Kai was about to pass by quietly, but his green eyes opened looking a little dazed. He saw her soon enough. He smiled a slow smile, not at all like his usual cocky grin. "My lady, I am glad to see you are all right. We were all worried about you."

"Looks like you should have been worried about you." Kai teased him. "You look like a picture I saw in a book once of how the Qunari wrap their dead in strips of bandages and put them in sarcophagi."

Keiron gave her a slight grin, but it faded fast. "Ah, well I feel as if I could go into one of those, if only to sleep for a really long time. But at least I didn't go comatose, for...what was your record?"

"Two weeks." Kai grinned at him.

"Yes, two weeks." And then his eyelids drooped and he was asleep again. Kai just pulled the blankets up around him and tucked them in. Again, more guilt swamped her. This poor sod, as annoying as he could be, just wanted to do right by his country. And he got stuck with her.

Kai walked outside the tent into the cool, wet, Ferelden night air. She started to turn to go to the next sick bay tent, but felt Zev's hand on her arm. He had been so silent throughout her little tour that she had forgotten he was shadowing her. "I think it is time for the services," he reminded her.

Torches were lit on long poles of wood to light up the funeral area. Smaller bonfires were lit around the area as the gloom had deepened. While they were in the first aid tent, the night's shadows had lengthened and blurred together, stretching like cats from under the trees until they finally all met, and now it was as if they were standing under a giant, black, velvet cloak. There were no stars shining and no moon; the bowl of night was as black and empty as she felt. Kai poked her head into the tent to tell Naseel the services were about to begin.

Wynne, Leliana and Morrigan joined her and Zev. She watched as Swiftrunner led the oldest children down the hill to the place with the biers. Apparently, Lana would watch those infants like the twins and those too young to go.

The sky continued to release its moisture as a fine mist that clung in beads to eyelashes, eyebrows and one's hair and glistened like gems in the firelight. The occasional plop of fat drops from dripping trees accentuated the popping of the burning, wet wood. Smoke rose from the smaller fires which made little islands of orange light where people stood talking. The bodies had all been put on the biers. There were three large pyres at an angle leaving an open area between them where a larger round bonfire had been lit. Lanaya and the man whose son, Caven, had died walked up to the area to stand.

Oghren, who had minor injuries and had been working on the pyres all day, came up to stand with Kai and the rest. Kai asked Oghren which bier held Lelyth. She wanted to take some ashes for Lelyth's siblings to have. Kai felt the world begin to tilt, and she buckled the feeling down. They stood while all the others gathered and the mist continued to fall, showing only when it got to the light of the fires and torches, making it feel as if the sky were sitting right over their heads.

Lanaya waited until everyone had gathered in close. She called on Falon'Din god of the dead and fortune to guide those elvenan who had been killed. And then she reached out and grasped the man's hand and gave him a sad smile. He in turn called on the Maker for all the humans, his voice breaking on occasion. There were sobs and sniffling heard all throughout the crowd. Then he and Lanaya gestured for them all to grab the unlit torches lying on the ground next to the bonfire and light them to start setting the biers on fire. Kai grabbed one and went to the bier that held Lelyth and the other Scath that had died. Kai started lighting the wood that had been doused with some sort of accelerant. She watched as the flames lick at the wood. Black logs were shadows against orange flames in the night. Kai watched as the fire burned upwards and made silhouettes of the bodies on the biers against the blaze. The misting rain made hissing noises as water met fire, causing the rain to turn to vapor which floated over the bodies as though the souls of those being put to the flame were hovering and watching.

Kai just stood and watched the fire. She felt a small tug on her arm and was startled to find Caven's father standing before her. The man looked...embarrassed? He shuffled his feet and looked down before speaking to her. "My lady, I...I am sorry for my harsh words earlier. I have been speaking to Keeper Lanaya, and she is right. I can hold onto my hurt and anger, or I can let them go. I can blame an innocent person, or I can put the responsibility where it belongs. With the one who has already paid, Bann Loren and Anora. I will not even call her queen. When you remove her, when you save Ferelden, I know there will be justice. You have been nothing but honorable, lady." Kai froze as he touched her arm. She could feel her hands shaking.

"I thank you for saying so, but I am no innocent and part of the responsibility is mine. Though I thank you for your...absolution." Kai almost choked over the word. The man held out his hand to her, and Kai's shaking hand grasped it. "I don't deserve it, but I will try and see that justice is done."

"My lady, I am not the only one who needs to forgive; you should start with yourself I think." Kai looked away and gave a low laugh.

"That is perhaps harder than killing an archdemon." She threw the torch she still held on top of the bier and kept her eyes on the flames. That overwhelming void seemed to be getting darker inside of herself. Kai caught a motion out of the corner of her eye and turned to see a small elven child holding a wooden halla with wheels for the feet attached to a toy aravel. The child tugged on Caven's father's shirt sleeve and looked up at him.

"I wanted to give this to you. He wanted to get his soldiers so he could share with me because he really liked playing with my toy. I was going to give it to him, I knew he loved it. So, now I am giving it to you." The little girl just held out her cherished toy to him her eyes wide.

Kai watched as Caven's father got down on his knees in front of her and hugged her tightly with tears in his eyes. "I think you need to keep it, little one. I know he would want you to continue to play with it. I am just glad he had such a good and kind friend."

Without thinking, Kai just turned and started walking away into the woods with absolutely no destination in mind, just off. She felt nothing, and so she was walking into nothing. Almost running to nothing. Her mind was blank with no thoughts, no feelings, no destination. She would just keep walking until she dropped. It was a big hand on her shoulder spinning her around that stopped her forward course. She could see that she had traveled some distance into the forest as only the barest glow from the fires could be seen from here. It was Sten who had stopped her. The clouds parted and the moon shown down, lighting his white braids and making them glow. Kai, as if she were doing things involuntarily, found herself striking out with her Qun martial arts. The black void turned out to be anger. Anger at Erys, at the Maker, at Andraste, at all the fools who followed her. But most of all, an absolute rage at herself. Her hand struck out in a blow, but Sten knocked it aside in a block. Kicks were the same. Apparently, he had known of the fighting style all along or he had been learning by watching her practice with the Scath. Their sparing continued, with Sten doing nothing but blocking or avoiding her blows. She barely registered that others had come up behind him, including Naseel. Then there was a loud "crack!," and Kai felt herself propelled backwards to hit a tree with a little grunt of expelled air. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and her cheek suddenly felt very hot. Sten's deep voice broke the silence, "Parshaara!"

"That was perhaps harder than necessary," she heard Zev say as he came to stand next to Sten.

"She was panicking as I did when I lost Asala." Sten continued to stare at Kai with his lavender eyes, his face immobile as usual, but for the slight crimping of concern at the corners of his mouth.

"You mean if someone had slapped you, you might not have killed all those farmers?" Zev asked with a slight grin.

"Perhaps. Or I might have killed them regardless. But the Warden is not me; her target is always herself before it is any other. I thought it best to put a stop to it before she hurt herself." Sten looked at Zevran.

Kai watched the exchange between Zev and Sten, and she couldn't help it. Laughter started to bubble up from her lips. It started as a giggle and then just started coming out in loud guffaws from her belly while tears ran from her eyes, and she bent over and put her hands on her knees. It wasn't until Zevran had come over and put his hand on her back, along with Wynne, and Morrigan had knelt down in front of her that she realized her laughter was really choking sobs.


	49. Chapter 50

**BioWare owns all etc., etc., etc.. Too much to list that doesn't belong to them. : )**

_Ah, the emotional purge to help our Kai get back into what she has to do, same thing she does every night, Pinky, try and save the world! _: ) _Boy were the last few chapters hard to write. But I hope you found a little humor in it at the end with Sten. I love the big guy, and there is so much more to him than I think gets portrayed usually. This chapter is a Kai and Zev chapter, bridges rebuilt and so on. And we have probably all been there, grief and the numbness and anger we sometimes feel until it all comes out. Good thing Kai has such good friends. And the Scath are going to help her on another level as well (next chapter or so). Something they all do on their own to prove not only their loyalty to the Scathach, but to each other. And that leads me to another shout out for Night Hunter MGS, who gave me the idea. And you will get another one when I actually use it next chapter. Sometimes these stop where I didn't expect them to, but where it seems right to end them. I hope you agree. : ) And yes, the relationship between Kai and Zev is finally back where it should be, and maybe more? I know, I know, I am such a tease,LOL! : )_

_Thanks again to all of you, your support, your continuing to check for updates, your catching my errors! I try to edit, but I sometimes read it over and over again so much that I start memorizing not editing. And your reviews really just keep the muse in high gear. And to all the new people who put me on favorite stories, thank you to too! : ) So on with our wild and crazy ride._

_Oh, and a big SORRY to you all if you got the Chapter 49 is ready email. I hit the wrong thing on the update my story chapters. This is chapter 49, mea culpa guys!_

_Oh and Night Hunter, hubby has Horde on one server and Alliance on the other. You can still call vendetta. LOL. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai, when she seemed to come back to herself, had found she was on her knees curled over in the wet leaves of the forest floor, and she had been pounding her fists into the dirt as she had mud and leaves caked on them. She didn't know how long she had been sitting like that. She felt empty. _No,_ she corrected herself, _lighter_. Like when she had carried heavy packs with supplies and tents for miles only to take them off and sway with the sensation of being suddenly buoyant. She had a similar feeling, but emotionally.

It was Zev who grasped her by her upper arm and started her walking back to the camp with the others following behind. Kai could hear Leliana playing her lute and some other instruments were being played as well, while the bard sang "In Uthenera," the old elven ballad about death not being something to fear or hate. Leliana said it had been sung at her mother's funeral, and she had sung it at camp for Kai and the rest during the Blight. It was beautiful and sad, and Leliana's voice along with the elves who were participating made it even more so. The clouds had abated, and the moon was out. Its cool white light was mixing with the orange glow of the flames and the black smoke rising into the night sky.

Zevran walked her to a tent that had been set up while she and the others had been collecting the dead, gathering wood, and tending the wounded. He walked her inside, led her to a chair, sat her down and went back out again. The warm air from the brazier hit her, and she suddenly felt exhausted. She even found herself dozing off, her chin hitting her chest.

She felt his fingers caressing her hair and came awake with a start. "My dear Grey Warden, it is bath time, and then you need to sleep." He pointed to a small tub which had been filled with steamy water. Zev had even hung a line of rope across from one post to another and covered it with blankets in front of the tub for privacy should anyone come into the tent. She supposed it was for her privacy from him as well. She would never have guessed when she met him that he had such a gentleman inside him. Not with the way he talked.

He had been busy while she had been napping. She was going to protest but looked down at her filth caked shirt and decided a bath would probably be necessary unless she wanted to sleep on the floor rather than get the bed dirty. Kai shot him a grateful grin.

She got undressed and removed the bandages on her back and went to the wooden tub sitting next to the brazier. The tub was only big enough to sit in with her knees bent and it had a sloping back, like on a chair, where one leaned. It wasn't as nice as a big stone tub where one could soak up to her neck, but it was far better than a rag, a bucket of water, and a bar of soap. Kai eased into the warm water and felt her muscles almost sighing. "You will find Leliana donated some bath salts she had. And I have salve and more bandages and a night shift for you to sleep in when you are done. Luckily you cannot fall asleep and drown in this tub, otherwise I would have to watch you closely, no?" She could hear the flirty grin in his voice as she heard him undressing himself.

"Hah! But what are you going to do? And when did you set all of this up?" Kai was curious as he had been with her all day. Kai poured in some of Leli's bath salts, and a lovely mixture of rose, lavender and cloves scented the steam rising up from the tub.

"My dear friend, you were a little preoccupied in the first aid tent. I slipped out and made inquiries. You are not the only one who should try and think of these things. I have noticed in all of our travels that you always think of everything and everyone else before yourself. If I had left it to you, you would have slept on the cold hard ground tonight. So, I made sure you would not." She heard him dipping what sounded like a rag into a bucket from behind the blanket. "But I dare say, no matter how you feel about yourself, the others here would not have let that happen. I had barely begun to ask about lodging for you when I was told of this tent, and several others began to hand me clothing and food. And someone else assured me of a bath for you."

She heard more splashing. "As to what I am doing, I am washing off with water and a rag. It is late, so warming more water just for me to use the tub is a waste. Besides, I have stayed in far worse places, which you know as you dragged all my adventures out of me in our lurid past together. I will be clean and dry and comfortable enough. And after being wet all day, I find I am not so interested in being wet longer than I have to, even if it would be relaxing." Kai let out a chuckle.

"Zev, you remind me of a cat." Kai cupped water in her hand to pour over her shoulders.

"Why, because I am handsome, sleek and agile?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Um that, but I was thinking more that you and cats don't like getting wet." Kai leaned back again and closed her eyes.

"You wound me!" She smiled. "Are you hungry at all, my friend? I did get some bread, cheese and fruit. Oh, and some wine which someone gave me without asking."

"No, I can't say I am hungry. Though if Wynne finds out I am turning down food, she is going to cluck at me." Kai felt a glass being pressed into her hand. She looked up to see Zev's hand from around the blanket passing it to her.

"Well, I am going to sit here at the table and eat a little and enjoy a glass myself." Kai just gave him a "hmm" as she sipped her wine. Between it and the hot water, she found herself getting droopy eyed again. The wine on an empty stomach hit her faster than usual. She started when she felt the blanket moving, and Zev's hand appeared holding out a piece of cheese.

"Here, now you need not worry. If Wynne asks if you ate something, you will not lie. You just don't need to tell her how much you ate, no?" Kai laughed.

"You are a devious fellow." He returned her laugh with a chuckle of his own.

"Si." And she took the proffered piece and nibbled it between more sips of wine. It helped settle her stomach, which was a little queasy. His hand appeared again with a piece of apple, which she took without thinking. Then bread followed that. It wasn't until she was on her second piece of cheese that she realized he had been sneakily pressing food on her and getting her to eat. She rolled her eyes, _slippery Antivan assassins, they bore watching_. She gave a little snicker at her own private musings.

"May I ask what is so funny, my dear friend?" His hand appeared again with a round purple grape between his forefinger and thumb.

"I was thinking you bore closer watching in future as you are so slick you could slide out of your coffin, as the saying goes. Wynne will be proud of you getting me to eat." Kai smiled as she took the grape and popped it into her mouth, chewing around the seeds.

Kai was pleased when he gave a full throated laugh. "Well, it can be our secret then. Wynne does not have to know, hmm?"

"No, I think she doesn't. Besides, she likes it better when she can nag me about being too thin and not eating enough. It makes her happy." Kai decided to get out of the tub before she turned into a raisin. She stood up letting the water make a splashing noise and run in streams down her body. She found a towel and a night shirt had been hung over the top of the blankets. Kai dried herself off and put on the shirt. She grabbed her wine glass and pushed the blanket to the side to find Zev sitting in a chair at the table cutting up more cheese and bread and putting it on a plate with apple slices and grapes. She sat down across from him as he pushed the plate in front of her with a grin. She couldn't help but grin back. She set her wine glass down and Zev poured more into it. "Trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?"

"I prefer my conquests to be awake and in possession of their full faculties. There is no challenge in drugging one's potential lovers. I prefer to seduce with skill." He chuckled at her.

"At which you are very adept, no doubt." Kai snorted.

"My dear Grey Warden, you wound me most grievously! Si, I am most proficient in seduction. Did I not make that clear when we met?" His grin got wider as he popped a grape into his own mouth. Kai laughed. She had missed this Zev since they had had their fight, Maker, how she had missed him.

"I can't go without saying something, Zev." She looked down for a moment. "I am so sorry I hurt and betrayed you. It will be one of the biggest regrets in my life. I hurt you not because I didn't trust you, but because I didn't think of how what I didn't say would look." She swallowed and tears beaded on her lashes. "You see, it wasn't you I didn't trust, I didn't trust myself. I...I thought I was going mad after all I had been through and the burden to be 'the strong leader.' The one everyone looked to, that everyone expected so much from. The pressure was enormous. I couldn't mourn my family, too much to do, and it would have looked weak. I couldn't show how afraid I was, it would be weak, et cetera, et cetera. I thought I had to be perfect. But no one knew how close I came, so many times, to just throwing my weapons away and running screaming to the nearest cliff just to get it over with. Sort of like I was doing tonight. Alistair and you, all of you, kept me from doing it. But you especially, my dear, dear, friend, after he was...he was dead. More than any of the others, it was you. I couldn't have made it without you after he was gone. You kept me going, before the funeral and after. And I thought I had finally gone around the bend after I lost him. I was so stupid. And then when I got back from the Fade, there was so much going on, and I was pregnant, and we were moving around, gathering support. And by then talking to him was so normal, I just didn't think about it, it was second nature. I should have told you. I know you may never forgive me, but I wanted to tell you I am so sorry, my true friend. I am deeply ashamed to have betrayed you in that way." She felt the tears sliding down her cheeks, but she looked him in the eye. Her father always told her that is what you did when you were apologizing.

His amber eyes and face were unreadable. He thumbed away her tears and leaned in and lightly stroked her cheek before putting his forehead to hers while he stroked the nape of her neck, holding her to him. Kai felt some of the tension she had been carrying around lessen. Especially around her heart. "Thank you, my one and only true friend." They stayed like that for a moment before going back to a comfortable silence while eating. Soon Kai found her eating slowing and her eyes getting heavier. She hadn't realized she was dozing off again until Zev grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bed. He sat her down rather than laying her down, but before she could say anything, he was lifting the back of the night shirt.

"Trying to undress me after all?" She teased him. "Zev, the twins?"

"They are with Fiona, and she assured me that as they sleep through the night now, you could have a night without them in the bed making you sleep crooked." He smiled at her. "As to me undressing you, I wish, but I need to put bandages on before we can both sleep. It has been a long day for both of us, no?" His breath tickled her ear as he leaned in to talk to her. Kai obliged him and helped lift the back of the shirt while holding it around her front. She felt his quick fingers put on salve, and he placed fresh bandages back on the wounds. "Now, my dear friend, put yourself under the covers. I shall take care of the lanterns." Kai pulled down the covers and got into bed, watching the walls of the tent darken as each lantern was extinguished except for the one on the small table next to the bed. Her eyes were getting heavier when she felt him get into bed, and the tent went dark except for the glow of the fires still burning outside, which cast an orange glow on the walls. She felt his arms slide around her, and he cradled her head on his chest while stroking her hair until she fell asleep.


	50. Chapter 51

**BioWare owns all except etc., etc., etc.. Too of my stuff to list, LOL! : )**

_So we have our Kai and Zev back together again. The daring duo, I can't tell you how happy it made me to write that chapter. And the funeral is over, but there is still a little issue with the Scath. The natives versus the ex-Crows. What will Kai have to do? Or will she have to do anything? The Scath may have a solution on their own with the help of a certain witch from the Kocari Wilds who knows blood magic. This is where the shout out to NightHunter MGS comes in for giving me the idea. Kai needs to make sure what is left of the villagers and Anora's men who are left get to the banns and arls. And Kai needs to visit the hermit as she promised before she heads back to the safe house near Denerim. She has her own Scath from Antiva to meet, including our friend Zaeed. And she needs to meet with one Master Ignacio. All coming up. The epic saga continues. And a little with Alistair, how would you feel if you knew they were in danger but could only watch helplessly from the Fade?_

_Thank you all for the wonderful personal emails, the alerts, and favorites, the ideas. And most especially for the reviews. They feed the muse. Whenever I feel stuck, or nervous that about what I am writing, I reread them. So, really, a big dose of gratitude to those who take the time to review. You all don't realize how much that really helps. 50 chapters, and counting, OH MY. And all because of you! **HUGS!**_

_Oh and sorry about the delay, yes, NightHunter MGS will have to declare vendetta against me, I and a friggin' raid on my Alliance characters on WoW. Since it was a bunch of under geared alts (save me the talented druid tree) it took three hours rather than an hour and a half. UGH! But I too have Horde characters that run with my hubbie's. Oh and I can not wait for the Worgen! I love werewolves. And thank you for the compliment in your review. WOW! You make me blush like Alistair! : ) You got it, my friend. I hope you enjoyed your inspiration for this one with the Scath._

_**Blessings!**_

_Kai was swimming in a pool while the moon made the water sparkle like white diamonds. The waves were created by the small waterfall coursing over the rocks from above. She could smell grass and night blooming flowers and fragrant trees. She could even hear night birds and crickets. Kai was treading water lazily looking at the moon, white and full, just beyond The Black City hovering in the star filled sky._

_She felt him as she always did, even before any physical contact._ _The meeting of the other half of her soul, where everything in her just lifted and sighed. She felt Alistair's warm body through cool water as he put his chest into her back and his arms encircled her holding her up. He was able to stand on the bottom as he was a good foot and half taller than she was. She felt his face burrow into her neck. She lay her head back on his broad shoulder while her arms encircled his around her waist. She was just relaxing when she realized he wasn't kissing her as he would usually be doing at this moment. Those few precious moments they stole with each other in the dream side of the Fade. And she realized that her shoulder was very wet and getting wetter. "Ali, what's wrong?" She heard a sob, and she broke away so she could face him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his shoulders. "Love, what is the matter?"_

_He just looked at her and then down again, with tears running down his cheeks. "I thought they were dead too, and I...I kept expecting them to show up here. My mother and the twins. And then you, and that bitch, Erys, fighting. And all I could think was that our children would grow up without you. They would never learn about, or from, their beautiful, strong, resourceful mother. And they would never see me through your eyes. And I am stuck here, I can't help you or protect you or them!" He started sobbing in earnest now. And it struck her, as it never had before, how really courageous he was. She had always known he was, even when he didn't. But his strength was even more formidable than she_ _had_ _recognized_.

_To know what was going on and be able to do nothing but be a bystander. He could withdraw, to be sure, and had done so, but he must have felt compelled to watch when she was in danger, or they were. And that he loved her so, he had had to watch while not being able to protect her or them. Protecting is what Alistair did best, it was one of his defining personality traits, and being a shield warrior had only enhanced and refined it. She then realized that what she thought of as a sacrifice for her, going back from the Fade, from death, had been even more of a sacrifice for him stuck behind there._

_She felt tears filling her own eyes in response. Her heart hurt for him. "Oh, my love, I have done you such a great disservice." She stroked his hair and beloved face. "I kept thinking I had to sacrifice and go back, I had to stop Anora, I had to try and save Ferelden, I had to bear the Theirin line. But you are the true hero, now as when you slew the Archdemon to stop the Blight." She flooded his face with kisses_. "_You are the hero, not me. You support me, you love me, you watch and can't be there with your shield to bash the bad people, throwing them to the ground like you used to. And I never thought how much it must hurt you not to be able to do so. I have been so selfish. You were so wrong, you are stronger than me, so much stronger." She smiled at him while stroking his cheek. "I am so sorry, mi' gra, my beloved, my heart. I am so very, very sorry. I love you so much! More than ever, more every day. When I look Fi and Duncan, I see you. Andraste's flaming knickers, how was I fortunate enough to share a soul with one such as you?" She tried to_ _brush_ _away his tears._

"_Clean living?" he asked, giving her a wobbly version of his lopsided smile. She grinned back at him while stroking his cheek. "I am just glad all of them are there for you. They all help keep you safe and sane. _ _But especially Zevran. I never thought that after you woke him up, after trying to kill us, I would be grateful you wanted him along. But I am. He watches out for you and them. I know he will protect all of you, he turned out to be as good a person as you told me he was. I am glad you are good friends again. And I love you too, Kai, so much." He touched his lips to hers lightly._

"_You do realize that this usurping the little viper, Anora, is still going to be dangerous. And I will have to deal with her little sycophants afterwards as well?" She grasped his face in her hands and looked him in the eyes. "I can't help that what I do is risky, sometimes very risky."_

"_I know, I just needed to vent. And I can't tell your mother, she goes apoplectic. I do tell your father, but then your mother grills the both of us. I talk to Duncan about you, but you know him. He is stoic and calm and has the utmost confidence in you. Which makes me feel like an over-reactive horse's ass. He could always do that, you know, when I got scared about something. Like taking the new recruits out to the Kocari Wilds. So, I really don't have anyone I can just let go about it all with." He smiled his lopsided smile at her. "So that leaves you. Isn't that lovely? Come to the dream side of the Fade, see The Black City, and have a grown man cry on your shoulder, meh! Makes going to sleep to dream worth it doesn't it?" His big hands were wrapped under her legs and were positioned in an enticing way, which made it worth it to her._

_She laughed at his sarcastic tone and rubbed the end of his nose with hers. "Come to the dream side of the Fade, meet the other half of my soul, the better half, by far. Meet with the man who gave me those two beautiful_ _children. The man who is so good and so kind, and who got stuck with me. Poor sod." She smiled at him while looking at his handsome face. "I can think of only one reason to come back to this realm over and over again. His name would be Alfred? No, Albert?" She snickered at him_ _while_ _batting her eyelashes. "No, wait I will remember his name in just a moment, hold on."_

"_Oh, you are just full of cheek! And evil, did I mention evil?" And he started tickling her ribs and then he dunked her under the water. She responded by swimming under the surface and grabbing him by the ankles and pulling him under with her. They tussled_ _like children, dunking and splashing each other. It ended with Kai pulling him under yet again, whereupon he grabbed her and their lips met under the water as they broke the surface. "You are a bloody selkie in the water. Lucky thing I am already dead or you could easily drown me."_

"_Hm, drowning is not what I had in mind at all for you. But I have heard that it can be almost like dying when it is done right. And we always do it right." She gave him a cocky grin._

"_Really-y?" His lips claimed hers, making her head spin as his kisses always did. She felt her whole_ _body just vibrating. And the water felt warm around them. Alistair leaned her up against the smooth rock wall behind the waterfall, water sluicing down his muscled shoulders._ _His lips were tracing their way down her neck leaving trails of fire, as he freed one hand to caress her breasts, causing her to quiver with pleasure. She nibbled and bit his muscled shoulder only to slick it away with her tongue. Her own hands were roaming down his abdomen, skimming over his muscled stomach and even lower_, _causing him to moan against her neck before his mouth devoured hers again. She opened for him and he filled her, body, heart, and soul. She closed on him and wrapped her legs around him, as one of his_ _muscular arms braced against the rock wall behind them. And as always she felt like her lungs were_ _going to give out in one last gasp, and her_ _heart would explode. But her body just released in one intense sensual overload, as their lips met and their breaths mingled. He gasped against her lips as_ _she felt his own body convulse and release, echoing her_ _own._

"_See, I told you." Her breath was coming out in little pants. She kissed his face ending with her lips on his. His own mouth responded as his weight pressed her against the rock keeping her upright so he could cup her face with his hands. She had one arm wrapped around his broad shoulders and the other fisting her hand in his wet hair. She was wondering about starting round two, when she felt herself being pulled out of the Fade._

Sod it! As always the change was jarring when she had to leave him, and it left her feeling as desolate as she had felt on top of Fort Drakon when she cradled him in her lap. The pain of it was so sharp and strong, it always had her gasping. And the emptiness was so deep she thought the entire universe could fit inside of it. Not to mention the ache of a physical body that was denied the action that her soul was having in the Fade. It was like dreaming about eating a feast and waking to a growling, empty stomach.

It was with tear filled eyes that she looked on the reason for her waking. Fiona had come in quietly with the twins who were making little fussing noises. The noises they made before they started their full throated howl about the unfairness of their situation – no food, diaper dirty, no Mommy, or just because. Kai wiped away the tears and smiled at Fiona, who put a finger to her lips and pointed to Zev who was still fast asleep. Kai nodded and sat up carefully so she could take them and get them fed. Fiona grabbed a chair and sat down to watch Kai and the twins.

Kai loved looking at them. They looked like her, she supposed, maybe a little. Others said they did. But all she ever saw, even as they had gotten older, was how much they looked like Alistair and even Fergus, her father, and her mother. She loved that she saw all of her loved ones in them. It helped fill the emptiness of their being in the Fade. Or in Fergus's case, the separation brought about by distance and circumstance.

She and Fiona got them burped and changed. She really just wanted to sit and play with them today, but she had so much to do, as always. Oh for a day where all she had to do was spend time being Mommy! She was looking forward to Winter again when the snows might allow her to do just that. Here she was, just over the long, cold snows, and she wanted them back again. She gave a mental head shake. She hugged them and kissed them and put them back on the bed next to Zev while she went around the makeshift curtain Zev had put up last night to see about clothes. He had mentioned that he had been given some when he had left the first aid tent last night. She only hoped he had meant more than just a night shirt. Otherwise she was going to have to put back on the filthy bloody clothes from yesterday. She was not relishing that.

She found a stack of clothing lying on a chair next to the table. She found two sets of leggings and cotton shirts. Poor Zev was going to be cold in the thin tunic. The Spring air still had a little of the Winter's bite in it. Kai got dressed and pulled on her muddy and blood splattered boots from yesterday. Her intent was to find the armory tent, provided it had not been blown up, and get her Scath armor on. She expected her two Scath sent out to Bann Loren with the message from 'The Silver Griffon' back today. She needed to address what had happened with Erys before too much time had passed, and again offer them the opportunity to leave the Scath if they felt they could not trust her as the Scathach to lead. She would not blame them, and they had that right.

Kai went back to hug Fiona and kiss the twins again. "If you want to leave them with whomever is watching the children, please do. I know they may need you to do more healing in the first aid tents today. I know Lanaya is hoping to get all those wounded healed enough to travel." Kai whispered to her.

"No need to whisper, my dear ladies," Zev's voice came from behind her. "I assure you I am already awake." Zev sat up and put out a finger for Fi, whose little face had lit up and started smiling at him the minute he moved. She obliged, taking his finger in her little fist and trying to shove it into her mouth. Duncan burbled at him, so Zev stroked his little belly.

"Sorry, Zev, I hope we didn't wake you. I was just getting dressed to go see about getting my Scath armor on. I need to speak to them all when the others get back from Bann Loren's. I need to address what happened with Erys, and I want to at least look like a leader, even if I haven't proved to be much of one." Kai clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to control her emotions. Maker, this was a wound that would take a long time to recover from. She doubted it would be any different for her Scath. "I need to reiterate that we are a family and that we have to trust one another. I need to let them know they are free to leave if they feel they can't. Trust each other or me, that is. I know that might cost us in numbers. But I won't have them staying because they have no choice. I am not Vimaro!" Kai spoke that last bit a little more forcefully than she intended. The worry and fear burst out of her before she could lock it down again.

"Indeed you are not, my dear friend. You are as far from Vimaro as the moon is from a fleck of dirt." Zev smiled at her.

"Thanks, Zev. But be that as it may, I need to talk to them. Then, if any still stay with me, I need to have them send word to the banns, arls, and my brother about more people joining them. That means more shelter and more mouths to feed. I am just glad we got that money from the mercenaries. It will help." Kai sighed . "So, I am off. If I find out that our armor hasn't been destroyed, would you like me to bring yours?"

"No, my friend, give me a moment, and I will dress and join you. We can buckle each other up and see to rounding up the Scath."

Kai laughed at him. "Buckle each other up sounds like a euphemism, my devious friend. I will wait." He laughed with her, gave her a little salute and went behind the curtain. Kai sat herself on his side of the bed feeling his lingering body heat. Fiona looked at her and smiled, cocking an eyebrow towards the curtain were Zev was dressing. Kai just smiled and shrugged. Fiona's smile got wider, and she nodded back. Kai sat and listened to the twins' little baby chortles and chirps that sounded like real conversations while she cooed at them. Zev came around the curtain.

"If you are ready, my dear Grey Warden?" He grinned at her. "Fiona, it is always a pleasure to see you. A man surrounded by such beautiful women is far too lucky indeed." And he started back towards the door of the tent.

"Did he just hit on my mother?" Alistair's voice asked in mock surprise. "No one is safe, the rascal." And she heard him laugh in her ear. "Love you."

"Love you too, _Albert._" Kai gave him a mental smirk.

"Ugh!" But she could hear his grin.

Kai followed Zev. She counted all of them lucky. The armory tent hadn't been hit. That would have been expensive indeed. It would also have meant repairing the armor they had stripped from Erys and wearing it instead. Kai was grateful that emotional stress was something she could avoid. She and Zev grabbed their armor and helped each other get strapped in. She decided to strap on the two black steel daggers that had been made by a casteless dwarven smith Oghren knew who worked near Lake Calenhad. He and his family had made all of their Scath weapons, tools, and armor. And unlike a lot of merchants, he really did give it to them a discount, as he was a supporter of the cause. He had made Kai's Scath daggers and given them as a gift, refusing the money Kai had tried to press on him. He had handed her a wavy dagger he called "Amhran Bran," or "raven's song." But his eyes had sparkled with pride when he presented her the second dagger, shaped like a sickle, which he called "Dubhsgaelach" or "black moon." He had told her he was inspired by her Scath symbol. Kai also grabbed a small leather pouch for some of the ashes from Lelyth's funeral pyre. Kai intended for her siblings to have something to remember her by.

They made their way outside, and Kai went down to the still slightly smoking ashes. She bent down next to the pile that had held Lelyth and put a handful of ashes into the pouch. The rest she let be blown off her fingers by the wind. She looked down, and they were colored gray as the sky had been just yesterday. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Zev just put his hand on her shoulder in comfort while she looked at a sky which had suddenly become blurry.

She was trying to collect herself when she heard Naseel's voice behind her. "Scathach!" Kai turned to see not only Naseel, but all of her Scath including the two whom she had sent to Bann Loren's, as well as Morrigan. Morrigan? Kai wondered what that was about. "Scathach, we need to speak to you. We..."

"If this is about Erys and my poor judgment, I have been meaning to speak to you all. I know I did not do well by you. In fact, I failed you, and in one of the worst ways. But I..." It was Naseel's turn to cut her off.

"Scathach, you did not fail us. It is we who were Crows who failed you. We should have been watching each other more closely. We knew our former master, we were taught to compete, to take, to be ruthless. Erys learned at his hand, too. We should have been our own watchdogs. So, we have come up with something all of us have agreed to, to prove our loyalty and to ensure another Erys is not amongst us." Naseel had all the Scath, Ferelden and Crow alike, stand before her. She waved her hand and they all opened their shirts at the top to reveal a dark blue, woad vallaslin – a skin tattoo or "blood writing" as the Dalish called it. All had three crescent moons with the triple knot in the middle. And all had the motto 'dileas go deo' in the crescents. Their skin had a red irritation around the vallaslin, showing they had just gotten them. The tattoos rested above their hearts. "It is more than it seems, Scathach. We asked your witch friend here to make a blood magic spell on the ink. If any of us should betray you or our fellow Scath, then we forfeit our lives. The ink has a poison that will be released upon any act that forsakes you, our cause, our group, or each other." Kai could only look down the line at her Scath. "All who join will be asked to get this writing on their skin. Those who refuse may not join, but may walk away."

"'Tis a brilliant piece of magic, if I do say so myself, sister." Morrigan's golden eyes glowed with amusement as her lips curved slightly. "Though 'twas they who came up with the idea all on their own. 'Twas simple enough to make the ink they requested. That and one of the elves who paints skin made it a reality. And never fear, I have been writing my own grimoire, so any mage may learn this magic."

"And those of us who are able to paint or draw will learn from the Dalish how to makes this vallaslin." Naseel grinned at her. Kai felt more tears forming in her eyes, but tears of pride and a humble gratitude.

She brushed the tears away and smiled broadly at them. "Well then, I suppose your Scathach had best get herself to the elf that does this. I need my own vallaslin."


	51. Chapter 52

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc., my stuff, too much to list here now. ROFL! : )**

_And the Scath have all taken the problem in hand and come up with a solution that will even help Kai their Scathach heal from Erys's treachery. It helps to have a " sneaky witch thief," as Alistair once called her, who knows blood magic working with you. And it is back to Denerim to meet with Master Ignacio, and the mysterious and cheeky Zaeed. Plus all of Kai's new Scath._

_Oh, and future shout out to Night Hunter MGS next chapter. Hehe, you are a clever person, my friend, and with a sense of humor. : )_

…_._

_I thank you all for sticking with me, for putting my story on your alerts, your favs. But especially taking time to review. Really, if I start second guessing myself, I re-read them! Or suffering from doubt about how I am doing. I wonder if Hemingway suffered self doubt, and he was a master, not a fan fic writer. LOL! I love the reviews, they fuel the fire. Plus, you have all given me such great ideas to build on. Thank you, thank you, thank you! : ) I have the best fans. Your ideas help keep me inspired, so please throw them out there in reviews or pm me! Don't be shy! : )_

_And sorry for the lateness of a chapter. I know I try and get these out every day. This weekend did not help me do that. More damned real life crapola. And more WoW than usual, dammit. I had to save some people's bacon with my mad healing skills, can I have your tots? I got some sweet jumps in! LOL! : D Liz my alli are on Argent Dawn, Horde on Feathermoon. Doh, yes, I am a gamer girl. ; )_

_And then real life got in the way. So sorry all for the lateness. I promise to try and not be this late again. : (_

_Oh, if you want to go back and read the scene again where everything starts to go BOOM and especially where Kai is holding a dying Lelyth , do it while listening to Moby's "My Weakness" from the album "Play." If you want more of a soundtrack to make you cry. I forgot to mention it before, but I was listening to my IPOD tonight and it came on again with my play list. It just goes well with the whole gray and rainy day with the sadness of death and destruction. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai along with Zevran, Leliana, Naseel, Jarren, and the few Scath who were stationed in Denerim had taken up the two back rooms in the Gnawed Noble Tavern and reserved the front room for Ignacio. It seemed fitting to her to have their meeting in the same room once again. It had a certain symmetry.

Since Kai had shown up first to their previous rendezvous, she would give Master Ignacio that privilege this time. She didn't figure him to try anything after all the trouble that he had taken to make sure her demands were met. Besides, Zaeed and a few of the ex-Crows that had been in Antiva City would be with him. They would be asked to stay, while the rest would be taken to one of their hideouts in the city to get their vallaslin tattoo. Kai had Zaeed inform all the Scath of the vallaslin before they got to Rialto. Kai had told him that if they didn't want the vallaslin, there was no judgment; he was to simply give them money and book passage for them back to Antiva City. Those who continued would be getting their tattoos when they got to Ferelden.

Kai absently rubbed her own vallaslin gently. It itched slightly, like any skin wound, which surprised her. She hadn't expected it to react that way, as it was unlike any wound she had ever had. The Dalish used tools made from wood and a bear's tooth for the more solid, larger areas and a wolf's tooth for smaller, detailed work. The sharpened teeth with little prongs sawed into them at the ends had been dipped in woad and then tapped into her skin with a small wooden mallet. It had been a whole new pain experience and an interesting one at that. It had been a prolonged pain that caused her brain to shoot chemicals into her system similar to feeding the twins. It had become an almost meditative experience, with the repetitive tapping, followed by pain, and then endorphins. Her vallaslin was more complex than the other Scath as hers represented her rank as Scathach. It had knotwork with spirals inside the crescents. Again, something her Scath had devised on their own. She allowed a small smile to play along her lips at the thought of their ingenuity and loyalty. She couldn't be more humbled and proud to be counted amongst them, aside from the fact they still wanted her as their leader, which to her was amazing indeed.

They heard a soft knock on the door, and Jarren stuck his head in, motioning to them that Master Ignacio was ready to meet. Kai and the rest followed Jarren down the hall and into the room. Jarren and Leli walked in first with Kai in the middle and Zev and Naseel flanking her at the rear. Kai walked in to find Ignacio sitting in the same chair he had occupied in their previous conversation. He too had a chest next to his chair. When she sat herself before him with her back to the fire, she saw he had another flanking his chair on the other side. She noticed the room had a particularly pleasant perfume to it, different from the last time she was in here. Something the innkeeper had the room cleaned with maybe?

Zevran stood with his back to the fire to her left, and Leli to her right. Naseel had gone to stand next to Zaeed, whom Kai had recognized immediately, though he was much more handsome when his head wasn't slightly distorted by the procul globe. In fact he looked enough like Duncan to be related, except his hair was curly rather than straight and he was younger. It gave Kai a kind of mental vertigo and she wondered, wildly, if Duncan had ever had an indiscretion in his past. Zaeed sported a goatee and mustache and a small, gold hoop earring in one ear. He looked like a Rivanni pirate. He bowed and saluted her with a cheeky grin and a raised eyebrow. She smiled back at him and winked. His inner mirth was infectious.

"Would you like me to ask Duncan, my love, if he ever dallied with an Antivan woman?" Alistair's voice sounded with mirth in her ear.

"Don't you dare! And thank you _so_ much for trying to make me blush when I am meeting with a Master of the House of Crows, you saucy rascal." Kai couldn't help but laugh at him.

Ignacio rose from his chair, smiled and brushed his lips along the knuckles of her hand. "My lady, so good to see you again."

"I did not expect you to say that, Ignacio, after our last parting. I hope you bear me no ill will. As you Crows say, it was business, not personal?" Kai grinned at him. "Except that my business was very personal, I am afraid." She waved a hand in Zev's direction. "Though, I have always had a certain affection for you, Ignacio."

Ignacio laughed a throaty laugh. "I must admit I have nothing but admiration for you, lady. And great deal of respect from our past associations. Once I managed to put my stomach back where it belonged, I took the situation as an opportunity, as you so helpfully pointed out I should do when we met. You are, without a doubt, one of the most formidable people I have ever run up against. You wield your power like a finely honed blade. It is a thing of beauty to behold, though I much prefer when it is not being used on me." Kai grinned even more widely at him. "And may I say that it makes you one of the most beautiful women I have ever met?"

Kai laughed. "What is it with Antivan men? You all flirt with abandon, you must drink charm in the water, and your addiction to danger and beauty is simply amazing. But neither of us are here for seduction or the art of love making, now are we?" Kai cocked her eyebrow at him smiling.

He grinned at her. "I was taught a man should always tell a beautiful woman she is a goddess. To keep it to myself is a sin. And I have so many other sins, I do not need to add that one to my list, no? But you must admit that our relationship has certain rewards." He walked over to the table in the corner and picked up a round bodied green glass bottle. "This time I brought the refreshments. It was only fair as I swigged your fine cognac like it was cheap tavern ale. I brought another delightful beverage with me. This one is from Antiva. It's a sparkling sweet wine, which we call 'Spumante.' It goes extremely well with fruit and fish, which we eat a great deal of in Antiva, being so close to the sea. I asked your Scath to order us these things for our repast."

Jarren walked in with a tray bearing fruit, fish, bread, and cheese. He set it down on a small table he carried in his other hand to place between their chairs. He smiled at her and his hand signals told her the food was not poisoned. Though how he knew that, Kai did not want to think about. Having one of them be food tasters for her left her with a sour taste in her mouth, even if they had taken it upon themselves. "I would also ask that you check the bottle for any puncture marks or broken seals." He smiled and handed her the bottle.

Kai grinned at him and rolled the bottle between her hands while looking at the cork and its wire seal for any signs of tampering. "I will, though I doubt we went through this dance just so you could poison me when we both just got what we wanted." She was about to hand it back to him, when Zev's quick and nimble fingers took it from her to give it another look while standing in the firelight.

"Ah, Zevran Arainai. We will be speaking your name with wonder and awe. I believe you are now infamous. The man for whom all of Antiva was brought to the brink of destruction. The one who caused our whole way of...what was that quaint term you used Warden? The man for whom our way of 'doing business' has changed. I hope it is not a disappointment for you. I suspect you always wanted to be infamous for your skills in love and death." Ignacio smiled a warm smile with no malice in it. "But it seems Fortune had other ideas for you, no?" He took the bottle when Zev held it out to him.

"Only if Fortune's name is Kaidana Cousland. And if I have to be infamous for the change in the Crows, well, I cannot complain, no?" Kai could hear the smile in his voice. His hand on the back of her chair had its fingers in her hair, rubbing the nape of her neck where Ignacio could not see. It was the first time she had ever heard Zev use her given name.

Ignacio smiled at him. "But before I pour this delicious wine and we break our fast, I believe we have some contracts to look over?" Ignacio put the bottle on the table next to a set of tall, thin glasses before going to one of the chests and pulling out a stack of papers. "We each get our own copies. And there are six copies for each of us. Six now that there are two fewer houses in Antiva. Cresconio is no more. And after you sent word about Lady Aldonza, her house took a sudden downturn when the lady herself suffered a sudden case of death. And you will no doubt wish to make sure the copies are all identical before you add your own signature and seal to them. Ignacio handed Kai a stack of twelve papers. She took one to read and handed the rest to Zev who handed a copy to Leli and the rest to Naseel.

Kai was pleased, it had everything she had asked for and then some. Antiva apparently wanted to stay on her good side, and it appeared they were anticipating a victory against Anora. They were offering money and supplies to help rebuild Ferelden when Anora was off the throne. Money and goods would continue to flow back and forth between Antiva and Ferelden, as long as the contract lasted which was the four hundred years Kai had demanded. Kai almost choked on her own amazement. She had just thrown out the number in a fit of cold rage over Zevran's torture. She had hardly expected them to actually make good on it, but it would secure a working relationship between their two countries for a long time.

What pleased her most were the things she had asked for regarding her Scath. They could return to Antiva and would not be molested or bothered. They still had a home to go to when they wished it. _Home_, if they lived long enough to retire from being a Scath or if they just wanted to leave. One should always be able to go home. It was their way back, she would not have seen that closed off or denied them. And even though it hurt to think it, that meant Zevran could go as well.

The Crows would no longer make slaves of their employees, all would be free to come and go. Kai suspected that this had much to do with a monster like Vimaro rising to power by committing horrors on his own Crows and almost bringing about the downfall of an empire. It had just taken an outsider like herself to point that weakness out. It appeared that they would be more careful about letting walking abysses take over control of Crow cells in the future.

All of the Crows from Vimaro and some from Aldonza were hers. It looked as if Kai was inheriting half of Inez Aldonza's cell of Crows. The rest would go to House Serracino, with their consent of course. Kai felt her eyebrows climbing up her forehead. Ignacio just smiled at her. She handed her contract copy to Zev who handed his, hers and Leli's to Naseel. She would take all the copies to her Scath waiting in the other room to read over them carefully to make sure they all were identical before Kai signed them and added her Scath seal in wax to bind it all.

"So, my lady, did you like what you read? I assure you that Lady Serracino and myself worked hard to ensure that you would get all you wanted and more. Lady Serracino looks forward to having you as her guest sometime in Antiva. And, she asked me to extend the hand of friendship from House Serracino directly to you and the Scath." With this Ignacio produced yet two more pieces of paper and handed them to her. Kai looked them over, another contract. A direct alliance of the Scath and House Serracino. Kai's eyebrow cocked up as she looked at Ignacio, who shrugged at her. "My lady was most impressed. She wishes to learn from the woman who bested them all."

"And to secure an exclusive alliance between us which would give Lady Constanza Serracino an advantage over the rest of the noble houses of Antiva would have nothing to do with the offer." Kai laughed. She handed the contracts to Zevran to look over.

Ignacio laughed. "Si, I would be lying to you if I said no. But I assure you, she is intrigued by you as well. She has an admiration for you. My description of what you had done for us here before the Blight and then what you said in our meeting may have had something to do with that." He just smiled at her. "Shall we have some of this wine and delicious food while we wait for your Scath to read over the contracts?"

Ignacio went to the table, removed the wire casing from the cork and put his thumbs under its edge. The cork shot out with a loud 'pop.' He poured a pale yellow wine which foamed as it flowed into the glass. He handed one to her, and Kai looked into it carefully, just in case a finger should appear in her glass. Ignacio must have guessed what she was doing and laughed a full throated laugh. "No, my dear lady, I did not bring Ines Aldonza's finger for you. Though that might have been amusing. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, no?"

Kai smiled and took a sip from the tall thin glass. The bubbles tickled her nose in a pleasant way as the slightly sweet wine bubbled on her tongue. "Do you like it?" Kai nodded at him and took some fish baked in butter and spices on a piece of bread, while Ignacio handed glasses of Spumante to everyone in the room. "Shall we have a toast?" Ignacio raised his glass. "Salud!"

He sat down and looked at Zevran. "So, does the contract pass muster with our former Crow?"

"Si, I see nothing here that could potentially hurt Kai or the Scath, which makes me wary." Zevran handed her the papers, but with a reassuring smile and a nod. Kai took them after carefully wiping her fingers. Leliana handed her a quill and ink and some sealing wax from the table that had held the wine. She signed the papers and melted the wax over a candle flame after pulling off her Scathach ring. When the wax was ready, she dripped it onto both contracts and pressed her ring into it. She smiled and handed them back to Ignacio.

He grinned and put them into his shirt, walked over to the table and reached under it. He pulled out a beautiful climbing rose that had petals the color of a sunset in a copper pot. The blooms had soft red outer petals, going into orange, ending in a heart of golden yellow that almost glowed in this light. It was the source of the lovely perfume she had detected earlier. "This, my dear lady, is a rose from the cutting of the original bush that has belonged to and is a symbol for House Serracino since the founding of Antiva. This rose comes from one bush, which the Lady Constanza's family guard jealously. She is giving you one as a symbol of her good will and her veracity. This rose is the only one of its kind existing outside of the family and Antiva itself. We hope it prospers, as we hope you do."

The door opened and Naseel walked in holding the contracts. "They are all good, my lady." Naseel looked her with shining eyes. She handed them to Kai and watched as she repeated the process of adding her signature next to those of all the noble houses of Antiva and the masters of their Crows. Kai also put her seal into wax on every one. She handed them to Ignacio with a smile. "I suppose our business is finished, then?"

Ignacio smiled. "Almost, dear lady. In this chest," Ignacio put his hand on the chest to his left, "Are the trinkets and papers Vimaro thought most important. This chest has a few gifts I wanted to give you. One of which you asked for to give to one Zevran Arainai, no?" Ignacio smiled and went to the chest on the right and put the chest on his chair, opening it. He pulled out a big glass jar with the head of whom she guessed must be Adulfo Cresconio. And in honey no less. Kai laughed. Ignacio grinned at her and handed it to Zevran. "She demanded proof that she could hand to you, my dear fellow. And I do not ever want to disappoint this lady."

Zev took the heavy jar and looked at it, his mask in place, but for the cold smile on his lips, and his amber eyes unreadable. "Hm, he looks a little shorter than I remembered." And he put the jar down on the floor next to Kai's chair with a slight nod to Ignacio.

Ignacio reached into the chest once again and handed Kai a stack of papers, which had the stamp of the country of Antiva. Kai opened up the first of the folded papers; it turned out to be three different documents. One was a birth certificate for one Zevran Arainai. The other was a contract listing the sale of same from a whorehouse called The Golden Fan to the Crows in House Cresconio. And the third document was Zevran's own slave papers marking him as a Crow for that house. Slavery all made to look so official and business like. Goods and services, not really owning other living beings, no not all. They are tools, toys, chattel. It took everything she had not to crush the papers she held in a fist and then toss them into the fire. Well, all but the birth certificate. However, they did not belong to her. They belonged to Zevran, and now he was truly free. That freedom was a gift she was not going to let her temper sully for him. She gave the rest of the stack a quick look; the whole stack looked to be all the papers on her Scath. Hadn't she told Ignacio to bring them? The man was as good as his word.

Kai simply handed the stack of three to Zevran behind her without looking. Part of her wanted to know what his expression would be. Happy? Would he consider truly leaving now? She had asked him to wait on getting a vallaslin. She had told him she wanted him to hold off until after they met with Ignacio, for just this reason. She wanted him to be really free before he made any decisions about his life. She had always wondered if his choice to stay after killing Taliesin had been made on the spur of the moment due to the Blight and how fast everything had been moving to a head before the Landsmeet. She worried that he had made it out of a sense of obligation, just as he had made their earlier bargain to save his life. To Kai's mind, that still wasn't a real choice. He should have all the cards in his favor, with no outside pressures, and the time to come to the first real choice regarding which way his life would go. The first, she hoped, of many he would make in a lifetime.

"I have one more thing, lady. It was actually Zaeed who found it while packing up the things from Vimaro. He thought you might like to have it." Ignacio handed her two more pieces of paper, both with the wax seals of Vimaro and Cresconio, and one with the royal seal of Ferelden. Kai felt her eyebrows shooting up her forehead. She opened the first to find the contract on her and Alistair. It was signed by Vimaro, Cresconio, Loghain, Arl Rendon Howe, and one Zevran Arainai. The other was the contract signed by Taliesin to kill Zevran Arainai; he had never intended to let Zev go back to his life after all. "Since all the parties involved with these contracts are dead, save one, and that one has no intention of fulfilling it, I would say the contract in null and void, no?" Ignacio laughed. "Consider yourself the only person to actually have avoided death by The Crows of Antiva, dear lady. The only one so far in our assiduous and quite lengthy time of doing business. Do you understand why we hold you in such esteem now, my dear?" Ignacio smiled and removed the chest and sat back down. "So, shall we drink to that and so much more? I brought two cases of Spumante, and we can have more food for all. I think this calls for a celebration, don't you, Warden?"

Kai smiled and saluted him with her own glass. "Indeed it does, my dear Ignacio, indeed it does."


	52. Chapter 53

**BioWare owns all but etc. etc., etc.. Too much to put here! : )**

_So, Kai's Scath are truly free. Free from being slaves, free to leave, free to go back to Antiva. And our frisky troublemaker is truly free for the first time in his life. No one will be hunting him from the Crows, and he can be whatever he wants and go wherever he wants. So what will he do?_

_And another rascal has joined Kai in Ferelden. Zaeed had finally arrived. And so that leads to another shout out for Night Hunter MGS who gave me the idea I use here with Zaeed and Kai. For those "Princess Bride" fans, I think you will get a kick out of it. And we will have a reunion with Zaeed, Naseel, thanks to Pheonix Fire Lady for the idea I had for that._

_The anticipated Zev and Kai naughtiness will happen, but I may have lied and it will be the next chapter, FINALLY, I know, I know. But this chapter went longer than I anticipated, and I felt the naughtiness deserved its own chapter. I hope you find the wait worth it. : )_

_Oh, and when you read the part about the fight and the betting, especially afterwards and Kai asks Zev about it. Think the part in the Bruce Lee movie "Enter the Dragon," where the one guy is fighting and his friend keeps upping the points to make the bet higher while his friend looks like he is losing the fight, only to kick ass and clean house. One of my favorite movies, I just had it in my head when I wrote it. : )_

_And as always, thank you all for your reviews, your support, and the love. Violet Theirin for the kind and concerned PM, you are a doll. Thanks for being worried, but all is well. Just real life gave me things I had to get done rather than getting to sit down and write. UGH! I was more worried about disappointing you all. And thanks for telling me not to worry, Night Hunter MGS. I appreciate you all so much. And mnomaha, feel free to print away sweetie. I fixed the thing that bothered me most in the third chapter. And such an honor that you want to do that. Thanks for sticking with me, you guys rock my world. And Kai's too! : )_

_Oh, in case anyone was wondering, it was too confusing to keep Fiona Alistair's mother straight from Fiona Kai's daughter. So 'Fi' is the shortened version of Fiona. And if anyone is familiar with the TV show "Burn Notice," Fiona there is called Fi, pronounced "fee." And I actually adore that nickname and character from that show. So that is what Kai and Alistair's daughter is going to go by. Sorry, should have explained that a long time back. Mea culpa._

_Blesssings! : )_

After their meeting with Ignacio in the Gnawed Noble Tavern, Kai and the rest had gone to the one of their hideout for the Scath. She had introduced herself to the newest members. They happily showed off their new vallaslin. Or rather those that had theirs finished showed them off. Some were still sitting down getting theirs. She then distributed all their papers. They well and truly belonged to themselves first, and they belonged to the Scath for as long as they wished, second. That was the salient point Kai made to them all, irregardless of the vallaslins they were willing to put on their skins. No one would _ever_ own them again.

It was also while they were there that Zaeed had pulled out the jar containing Vimaro's head from the things packed from their old house in Antiva City. He handed it, along with a note from Master Ignacio to Zev. Zaeed had shrugged and given his infectious grin. "He said it wasn't important, just a gift from him to Zevran, since the head was no longer needed as a demonstration device. He told me he figured it should go to Zevran first." Zevran had taken the note and read it, and then handed it to Kai.

_Zevran Arainai,_

_Both of you shall be legends in our country's history. The Grey Warden who survived a contract by the very Crows themselves, and the assassin who was sent to kill her for whom she was willing to destroy all of Antiva. I hope you understand just how monumental was the task that she accomplished. One that transpired on your behalf, no less. She is beautiful and persistent, your friend. And truly amazing in so many ways._

_Even though she gave it to me, this object truly belongs to you. I, for one, am envious of you for many reasons. And I would say Fortune favor you, but how much more favor can Fortune show you than she already has, no? You should let Fortune have some time for the rest of us._

_Live a long and prosperous life,_

_Master Ignacio_

Kai snorted. "I would wonder if it is just an Antivan thing to romanticize everything, but Orlesians do it too. It must be we Fereldans who lack this ability to over embellish simple situations." Kai felt herself blushing. "And what is it with the persistent sexual implications? It always makes me feel like a doe being chased by wolves."

Zaeed's grin got wider. "I would say that if anything, you Fereldens take the most complicated and dangerous situations and make them all sound like simple things. You dress them down and put them in plain clothes and brush them off as if they are something anyone could have done. Especially you, Scathach, seem to be good that. Either you really are not aware of just how amazing you are, or you are playing at false modesty. From what Naseel has told me, and Rajed and the others, I would say it is not false modesty." Zaeed turned to Zevran. "How is it that she has no idea?"

Before Zev could reply, Kai broke in. "I don't do it on my own, Zaeed. I have a lot of talented help. That would include help from Naseel and yourself. Really, I am doing nothing more than what needs to be done and trying not to muck it up too badly along the way. Now, gentlemen, we have packing to do. We leave tomorrow." And with that she turned on her heel, blushing furiously including her ears, as she felt two pairs of eyes on her. Andraste's knickers, really!

The next morning they traveled back to the farm hold safe house to pick up their wounded but recovering Scath, Keiron, and Shale, and then on to Highever. Fergus had greeted her with a big bear hug and a grin a mile wide. He got them all situated into rooms and had warm food waiting for them in the dining hall. With food being delivered to those still recovering like Keiron and Rajed, Fergus had come back with her to the room he had made ready for her and was lying across the bed and playing with the twins who laughed and "talked" him, sounding so much like they were telling him of their adventures. "I have missed you, little sister." He grinned at her while she unpacked and put things in chests and armoires around the room.

She grinned back at him. "And all this time I thought you found having a little sister underfoot a bother."

Fergus gave her a throaty laugh. "Just because I said I wanted a Mabari instead! You still hold that against me. I was only ten at the time, as you recall."

Kai laughed back at him. "And yet I am the one the Mabari imprinted on. I am truly surprised you didn't resent me, brother dear, while we were growing up."

"Who could resent my sweet sister?" Fergus smiled affectionately at her before tickling the twins on their bellies.

"Who indeed, she even makes assassins sent to kill her and the heads of governments she threatens to topple, admire her," Zev followed his own voice from the doorway into the room carrying more bags.

Kai snorted. "I doubt that Anora would share your sentiments, gentlemen. Though I appreciate the flattery." Kai smiled at them both.

"Kai, I left Vimaro's chest of important papers and trinkets in the Great Hall. I assume that is where we will meet tonight after supper, no? I had thought we might go through it then." Zevran put down the bags and rummaged through them to pull out nappies and clothes for the twins. He walked over and handed them to Fergus. "And I think _they_ could use a change, no? _Uncle _Fergus?" He laughed and walked out the door.

Fergus mocked grimaced at Kai before grinning once again with laughter in his voice. "Slick, sodding bastard."

Kai feigned shock at him. "Oh my, dear brother, what would Mother say about your language?" Fergus just wrinkled his nose at her and started to get Duncan undressed and ready for a clean nappy. Kai laughed at him and did the same for Fi.

"To be honest, dear sister, I have missed you all so much. And I know I have been through this before with Oren, but they get so big so fast don't they?" Fergus grinned at Duncan's smiling little face and blew his lips on the round naked belly eliciting giggles.

"And they are starting to eat some solid foods, well mushed of course." Kai took a moment to enjoy her brother enjoying his nephew, before tickling Fi's feet and grabbing them and putting them in her mouth to take them out again. "And they sleep the whole night, now. Which is very nice, to say the least." Kai kissed Fi on her little belly. "And if I may burden you _Uncle_ Fergus, would you mind babysitting? I need to go find Naseel and Zaeed."

Fergus grinned and nodded. "Now I know why you wanted to come home! Your motivations are transparent, sister dear – diaper changer, babysitter. I should have guessed!" Fergus's voice was full of mirth.

"Of course! That you get to play doting uncle means you hate every minute right, brother dear?" Kai wrinkled her nose at him and laughed. "I could always ask _Morrigan_ if she would like to help you, just in case you run into any trouble."

Fergus grinned and threw a pillow at her. "Oh, I should have insisted Mother and Father get a Mabari instead. Little sisters are evil, evil creatures!" Kai ducked, stuck out her tongue at him, laughed and left the room. She walked down the hallway and reveled in the sounds, sights, and smells of home. She made a mental note to try and go to the garden with the bees next to the orchard with Fi and Duncan while they were here. After finding one of her Scath and a servant, she discovered that Naseel and Zaeed had last been seen going across the training grounds headed for the armory. Kai was on her way there when she caught Zevran trying his assassin sneaking skills.

"It is a good thing I don't startle easily, don't you think?" She asked with a sly grin at him.

"Si, if you did, your Qun training would no doubt have me flat on my back, provided you could catch me." He grinned back at her. "If I thought it bothered you, I would make my presence known as I used to do in camp. I find you are a good target for stealth practice. You almost always discover me. It forces me to try harder." Kai laughed at him and shook her head. "I take it, my dear friend, you are searching for Naseel and Zaeed?"

"Yes, I wanted to speak to Zaeed about Rajed. I want to assure him that Rajed is welcome to stay with the Scath, and I had a thought about training him with some of the Qun arts. They can be done with one or no hands, say if hands were tied behind your back, or someone had grabbed one. I think we can build on some of those moves to include holding a weapon, so Rajed should be able to fight as well he ever did. It is something I have been working on in my head." Kai put a finger to her lips as she slipped into her own thoughts.

"Ah, my dear Kai, always with the devious plans!" Zev grinned at her. "There seems, however, to be something else going on in that magnificent mind of yours."

"Well, a new weapon idea, one specifically for Rajed that can be used with those Qun martial arts moves. There is a certain set of kicks and spins that I taught you, the ones called the 'Dance of the Dust Devil?'" Kai looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes, the one with much pivoting and precise kicks. It requires one to be agile and limber, but it is very effective against multiple targets surrounding one." Zev looked thoughtful. "You propose a weapon to use with that set of skills?" Kai nodded and described her idea – a double edged blade with a slight curve, on the end of a long thin chain that could be twirled and spun back out again by the movements of the wielder. If it was done right, it would require only one arm and the use of one's legs and body to direct the chain at a target. Zevran laughed out loud. "Very crafty and very unpleasant for anyone on the receiving end of that weapon. Many people will underestimate its user."

"I wanted to have Naseel and Zaeed help me tell Rajed about it. He always seems so uncomfortable when I try and speak to him at all. And I owe Zaeed an apology for his brother's injury. 'Apologize in person,' my father always said." Kai gave Zevran a small smile.

"You always take too much responsibility for the actions of others and none of the credit for your own accomplishments." Zev gave her an appraising look with a raised eyebrow.

"The responsibility is mine, Zev, however appealing it might be to pretend otherwise." Kai felt her cheeks flushing and was relieved to find they had arrived at the training grounds where the armory was located. Kai and Zev made their way across the courtyard of Highever, knights and Scath all practicing with various weapons. They went to the armory door and opened it. Kai and Zev, who was right behind her, walked into the weapons room to see Naseel with her legs wrapped around Zaeed's waist. Zaeed had one hand in Naseel's hair while he held her up with the other and was obviously in the process of kissing her breathless. Kai grinned and looked at Zev who was also grinning with a cat-that-ate-the-canary expression. Kai found herself coughing slightly and watched as Zaeed turned so he could see who it was without letting Naseel down. The girl was blushing so hard Kai thought a tomato would be less red. Zaeed set Naseel down on the floor.

Kai tried unsuccessfully to keep from laughing and then to keep the smile from her lips. "I wanted to talk to you both, I hope it isn't a bad time?" Kai heard Zev chuckle slightly. Zaeed only grinned more widely, causing Naseel to blush even harder and mumble something that sounded like "No," but Kai wasn't sure as the girl's face was pointed at the floor.

"Not at all, Scathach!" Zaeed gently touched Naseel on the cheek, causing her to roll her eyes, but she finally looked up. Kai started to make her apology about how grievously his brother had been wounded, but he cut her off with a fierce look. "I will not have you taking responsibility for that, Scathach. That was Erys' doing, and she paid, you saw justice done. That is all that is required. What I will say is that you have taken care of him, seen he was healed, treated him like a human being, a person of value. For that I will give you all the praise you deserve. It is far more than Vimaro would ever have done." His fierce look was replaced with a look of quiet gratitude. "And from what I understand, the Scath who took your 'message' to Bann Loren planted the head of the traitorous bitch in his bed along with a breast plate from his men. When he pulled back the covers thinking she was lying there, he found just a head accompanied by a piece of paper with a silver griffon drawn on it. They told me he squealed shrilly enough to wake the dead." Zaeed gave a feral grin. "That will do until you see he is given his full reward, no?"

Kai just shook her head, well, she had told her Scath to be creative, hadn't she? She wanted to laugh but held back. "Well, that leads me to the next thing about your brother. Provided he still wants to be a Scath." And she went on to explain her idea for training Rajed and creating a weapon made just for him. She asked them to help her talk to the poor lad, who seemed to have a chronic case of shyness where she was concerned. Zaeed just grinned, and without missing a beat, strode across the floor towards Kai, whom he swept up in muscled arms before he planted his lips firmly on hers. She was so shocked, she did nothing, and he had set her down before her mind had any time to really process what he'd done.

"Um, well, uh..." _Oh yes, Kai old girl, way to use those communication skills_. Kai felt her own blush mirroring Naseel's. When she dared dart a look at Zev, he was smirking at her and starting to laugh. "What is that, something you Antivans do as a greeting, a thank you? Great Maker, how do you all get anything done?" Kai just flushed harder as Zevran laughed with Zaeed.

"I have no doubts, even if I had had any to begin with, that to follow you, Scathach, is an honor and a privilege." Zaeed bowed with a flourish. Kai snorted.

"Yes, well, you may not feel that way when we actually have to confront Anora. You may wonder what the bloody hell you were thinking." Kai grinned despite the blush.

"Scathach, something does worry me a little." Zaeed gave her a concerned look.

"What is that, Zaeed?"

"I don't know how good a warrior you are. I know you know politics. But politicians can be nothing but smiling, soft creatures. How about a little sparring match? It would also be good for me to prove what I can do, no?" Zaeed gave her his cheeky grin.

She laughed and nodded. Zevran helped her get into her Scath armor as Naseel helped Zaeed into his. Kai let Zaeed pick the weapons they would use. He chose for them to fight one handed with daggers. They went out to the training grounds and found a somewhat empty spot to start in. Zaeed and Kai began dancing and weaving along the training area, exchanging blows, testing each other before starting in earnest. Soon, all the others in the area had stopped practicing to watch them face off. Kai obviously had the advantage, which surprised her, until she saw Zaeed grinning. He blocked her blow but just barely, and it only made him grin wider.

"What is so amusing?" Kai just continued to circle around with him, again blocking his blows and getting in her own.

"Oh nothing, except that you are marvelous, Scathach! I admit it, you are far better than I!" Zaeed smiled wider at this.

Kai couldn't help her curiosity. "Then why are you grinning like a cat who stole the cream out of the larder?"

He laughed. "Because I know something you do not know."

"And that would be?" Kai asked as she blocked yet another blow and got in a swipe with her own blade.

His grin got cocky. "My dear leader, I am not left-handed." And he flipped the dagger over in a spinning toss to catch it by the pommel with his right hand as he took aim at her again. His sudden improvement and change in style caused Kai to grunt with surprise as she redoubled her efforts to parry and thrust. They continued that way for some time with the others watching, now cheering and catcalling. She even thought she heard betting going on, but it was hard to say as she was concentrating on not getting sliced up. She was also getting a good assessment of his fighting style and skill. He was very, very good. She allowed a smile to play along her lips.

"Zaeed, I think there's something that you should know." Kai found him using his advantage, pressing his weight against her forearm with the dagger point aiming for her throat.

"Oh, and what is that, my dear leader?"

"I'm ambidextrous." Kai twisted by pivoting on her heel and swinging her hip letting Zaeed's own momentum cause him to pitch forward. She spun and gave him a kick to help him keep going away from her. "And I fight dirty." The fact that he started to trip, but was agile enough to recover after a few stumbling steps spoke volumes to her. She was very impressed. When he had turned around, she flipped her own dagger up and behind her back catching it by the pommel in her right hand, bringing it in front of her while spinning it in her fingers. It was all show of course. With a real enemy she would have just changed hands, but she thought Zaeed might appreciate the dramatic production. Some in the audience apparently didn't. It sounded as though some were regretting their bets. She grinned harder.

Zaeed saluted her with a broad smile, and they returned to sparring. It ended when Kai did a spinning kick in a no-handed somersault and knocked Zaeed to the ground. He found her on top of him, pinning the arm holding his dagger under her knee, while her dagger was at his throat. Both of them were panting, sweating, and out of breath. "I yield gladly, my lady." His dark green eyes sparkled with respect and mirth.

"Isn't she magnificent?" Keiron's voice came from behind her, and she saw he was still sporting most of his bandages and was being led by Wynne to sit outside and get some fresh air.

"Young man, I remind you that you are still wounded and not to get too frisky. Not to mention the fact she still has a dagger in her hand." Wynne set Keiron down on a hay bale. Kai rolled her eyes.

"On one hand, I am glad you are better, on the other, not so much." Kai snorted and got up and gave Zaeed's armored chest a couple of slaps before she held out her hand to help him up. "Don't make me get Argus to lick your face off." Which earned a happy bark from the shade near the wall where the Mabari had been napping.

"Well, Zaeed, I hope your concerns are laid to rest?" Zaeed just grinned and nodded. "Maybe then we can go speak with Rajed. All my Scath should get back to practicing then, no?" Kai grinned at the crowd.

She, Zaeed, Naseel and Zev all walked back to the armory. As Zevran was helping to unbuckle her from the leather covering, she cocked an eyebrow at him and asked in a whisper, "So, how much did you make?"

Zev gave her a wide, sly grin, "Almost thirty sovereigns, with some silver of course."

Kai almost choked. "Thirty sovereigns!"

"My dear Kai, I must teach you how to work a crowd and have them believe you think the one you want to bet on is going to lose." Zev laughed. "You didn't think I only learned how to kill people did you?"

"So slick you will slide out of your coffin, Zevran." Kai grinned at him

"Si." And he chuckled and continued to help her out of her armor.


	53. Chapter 54

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc., you know except all the stuff I have made up. LOL. Just a thank you to BioWare and Mr. Gaider for creating a world where I could do that. Since I haven't given them a shout out in a while : )**

_So, I had to give tribute to, as Cynder Jenn said, one of the best sword fights in cinematic history. And Night HunterMGS helped me set it up. And yes, I promise this is the Kai, Zev chapter. Really, I mean it, anybody want a peanut? Thank you all who have been patiently waiting for your rascal lovin'._

_And a LOL shout out to Shanda 27, I didn't even think of The Godfather for that message to Bann Loren, but yeah! My subconscious must have been thinking it for me. And a shout out to Phoenix Fire Lady for her ideas on a meeting with Rajed and Zaeed. Even though by now they have met at least briefly while on the road to Highever. I wanted to do a meeting with Rajed and Zaeed with Kai. Rajed has always been shy, and his life as a Crow would have been horrible for someone so gentle by nature. To be under one such as Vimaro, he would probably be expecting Kai to toss him out. No matter what example she has set so far._

_This is a really long chapter, my longest yet. But I didn't think you would mind considering this has been one long tease for this. I hope you find it is not only worth it to read for entertainment, but for the reward you all know has been coming. So here it is, the chapter you have all been waiting for. You can skip to near the end to read the naughty bits before you read the rest, first. LOL! : )_

_Thank you all for your support, reviews, and ideas. I am just amazed, and in awe of you all. Really, you guys just make me smile. On with the show!_

_Blessings!_

After their sparring session, Kai and her little entourage made their way to the room where Rajed was resting and recuperating. It took a moment to realize Wynne had joined them to see to her patient. They all filed in the room and found Rajed sitting up reading with one shoulder heavily bandaged where his left arm had been. His face lit up when his brother walked into the room, followed by Naseel. When Kai walked into the room, he blushed and looked down. _Well, so much for making him feel more comfortable, _she thought. Wynne followed Zev and went to Rajed's bedside and started looking at his bandages.

"How is my obnoxious little brother today?" Zaeed grinned at Rajed, giving him a gentle punch in the shoulder. Rajed smiled at him and spoke so softly that Kai couldn't tell what he said in reply. She did notice that he kept looking out of the corner of his eye at her while they spoke. "All right, mocoso, our Scathach has something she wants to ask you, and some ideas depending on your answer." Zaeed grinned at both of them. Kai cleared her throat, she felt uncomfortable for making Rajed uncomfortable.

"Rajed, first I am so sorry you got hurt so badly. It was my responsibility to see what was going on with Erys, to be more circumspect. I failed you in that way, and your brother too." Kai cut off any protests from those in the room with a raising of her hand. "So, what I am about to ask you, I really have no right to. But I am hoping you will think about it, at least. I would like you to stay with the Scath. You have no doubt seen the tattoos, if no one has explained what they are?" Kai looked and Rajed was just staring at her. She felt her heart sink, she couldn't blame him if he laughed in her face and threw her offer back at her along with a storming rage. Kai bit her lip, but she saw Rajed nod.

"I know what they are, my lady, Scathach. You still want me to stay?" His voice was so quiet, even awestruck. He looked at his brother and Naseel as if to confirm that he was hearing her correctly. They both nodded at him, smiling. "I thought..."

"You thought I would cast you out?" Kai was astonished. It had never occurred to her that he would actually think _she _would toss him out in the cold. She should have expected his belief considering their treatment in Vimaro's house, she supposed. But to her, they were people. Kai smiled widely at him. "I would never do that to any of you, Rajed. Not ever." She reached out and grabbed his hand, and she was elated when he gripped her own in response. He smiled a shy smile.

"See here, brother." Zaeed pulled out his and Rajed's papers, handing Rajed's to him. Rajed's eyes got big and then he smiled more, his eyes shining when he looked at her. Kai felt herself flushing. She pressed on before she blushed more. She explained her plans for Rajed's training, if he was willing to try it, if he was willing to take a chance on her as his leader and stay. Rajed simply put her hand to his lips and kissed it, the blush on his cheeks making his dark skin darker. But he kept his eyes on her instead of looking away in bashfulness. Kai felt herself flushing in response.

"I will stay, you will have my one arm as long as it is useful, my lady, my Scathach." He smiled shyly at her. "I am yours to command." He looked at his brother, and then at Wynne. "Can I get my vallaslin now?" Wynne smiled at him and nodded. And the rest all laughed.

"Well, mocoso, you get to try a new weapon made just for you. If I had known that was how to get the Scathach's attention, I would have chopped my own arm off." Zaeed gently punched his little brother on the arm again causing Rajed punch his brother back as he laughed.

"Thank you, Rajed. When the over-protective Wynne lets you come out and play, we can start your training, yes?" Wynne wrinkled her nose at Kai and huffed at her. Kai laughed, briefly touched the back of Rajed's hand to her cheek, and left him to spend time with Naseel and Zaeed.

"Well, my dear Kai, you have done your good deed for the day, no?" Zev grinned at her. "Perhaps now is a good time for some relaxation and down time, my friend? You get so little of it, you should grab it when you can."

Kai laughed at him. "You mean sparring with my one of my Scath is not relaxing?" She looked out of the corner of her eye at him to catch his return grin. "Perhaps you are right, what did you have in mind?"

He gave her his cocky, mischievous smile. "Well, I could recommend certain activities..."

She stopped walking and put a finger to his lips grinning at him. "You are totally incorrigible, and a complete rascal." He kissed her fingertip.

"My dear friend, you wound me! It is _you_ who are incorrigible, _I_ was merely going to suggest we go out to your favorite garden with the twins and your brother, if he is of a mind. We could do, what was it you called it when you told me about it at camp one night while we were on watch? Cousland Camaraderie Day? We could sit and read and relax." Zev grinned at her. She just stared at him for a moment. The man always surprised her. The things he remembered.

"It sounds perfect. Shall we divvy up the tasks so we can meet in the garden?" Kai smiled at him.

"Si, I will go and get the food. If you will collect your brother and the twins, maybe something for us to sit on in the grass?" He smiled and saluted and turned and left toward the kitchens. She just watched him go. How was it possible that she had been so lucky to have her life filled with wonderful men? Her father, her brother, Alistair, and Zevran. Fortune had favored her indeed. She shouldn't forget Sten and Oghren either.

"At least I am not last on that list, my love." Alistair's voice laughed in her ear.

"Alistair, I wanted to ask you something." Kai started walking back to the room. "I know you said you wanted me to have a physical _relationship_. But that was a while ago. And Zevran and I are close friends again, but he had not reminded me of my offer in the chapel, so..."

"Thank the Maker. I hated you two being at odds."

"I know, but Ali, I still think you haven't thought about this you know. I mean, you can see and feel what I do. So, really I think that your idea is a bad idea, no matter who it is. Wouldn't that be kind of creepy for you, not to mention for me?" Kai felt herself flushing.

"Ah, my love, I can block you out so that I know nothing. Remember the day of the funeral? I didn't know despite your stress that you hit Isolde, _twice. _ I was going to leave you completely alone, but I..."

"Couldn't help but check in? Don't you worry that you will do that in this case? Really Ali, I am fine. I can live without, well, you know."

"Licking lampposts in Winter? No, you can't, nor should you. Kai, my love you could live to be an old woman. Are you really telling me that you want to spend the next, what, fifty to sixty or so years without someone? Or do you really think I would be selfish enough to let jealousy keep you from having a real world life? That is, if you don't get yourself killed trying to usurp Anora. I do wish you wouldn't put yourself in danger, since I can't defend you. And I can't help but watch while you go through said fighting and danger. But I think we can manage. It certainly is a different kind of situation. But my beloved, we still meet in the Fade. And that brings me to the other thing, besides the waking up wanting, and yes I know you do after we meet. You do notice I am not allowed into every dream. And some nights you don't remember your dreams even if I could be in them."

"Any dream with you would be remembered, my love." Kai turned the corner walking to the doorway of the hallway to their quarters.

"Be that as it may. We don't get to meet every night, even if that were fulfilling enough for you physically, which it's not. I told you what I think. I love you, nothing changes that. It would make me the cruelest person to deny you a life in that plane. I can't and won't do that. So, my position hasn't changed. And Zevran is a good man. But if you prefer, you could always try and seduce Sten or Oghren instead." She heard him laughing.

"Huh, even when he was stone cold drunk and _thought_ I was hitting on him, Oghren turned me down. He is mad for his Felsi, and he should be. They are good for each other in a weird, disgusted-with, but still-mad-for way. I don't get that, but it makes more sense to me than him and Branka. And if it works for them..." Kai gave him a mental shrug. "As to Sten? Ah, yeah, no. I still don't know if he was just shining Morrigan on about having to wear armor and have a hot poker to get his attention when he started to 'nuzzle.'" She could hear him laughing as if he was holding his sides. She couldn't help but join him. "You are making a lot of assumptions about Zev. He may talk seduction on every breath, but he has never been anything but a gentleman. He may not be interested in me in that way, you know. I did turn him down once long ago. Maybe one turn down is all it takes."

"Sounds like wishful thinking to me. Just do me one favor, don't tell me he is a better lover than I am."

"Ali, that is not possible. What we have is more than sex, we are part of the same soul. Remember what boogity boo lady, I mean Andraste, told us? I am afraid I will be disappointed with anyone else." Kai walked down the carpeted hallway to the bedrooms.

"Nice, but you still don't get out of considering what I have said. If you do, well, start something. Just picture a lamppost covered in snow in your head. I will make sure I am gone and preferably nowhere near your mother. I might blush and then..." He mentally mock shuddered, making her laugh. She put her hand out towards the door to open it. "Uh oh, speaking of your mother, she wants to know what I am finding so funny. Later, my love." And he was gone again.

Kai opened the door to find Fergus napping with the twins. She was about to step quietly back out, but Fergus woke up and blearily looked at her and smiled. She explained what Zev had planned. Fergus grinned and nodded. He helped her gather a blanket and instructed a servant to get pillows for outside and to set them up along with a table and chairs. Fergus went to the library to grab a book after he got Kai and the twins settled. Zevran met them in the garden, and it was just what Kai had needed. It was all so lovely, 'live, love, laugh,' as the door said.

They stayed in their retreat until the sun dial showed it was time to go and eat at the dining hall. Kai snuck off to feed the twins first before taking them to the dining hall for some mushed food possibilities. Fiona then took over, setting them in little high chairs that had belonged to Fergus and herself. They seemed particularly fond of mushed peas and carrots, but got more in their hair, down their fronts, and up their noses than in their mouths. The twins, already full from Mommy feeding them first, were starting to get fussy, so Fiona and Wynne grabbed them to take them off for a bath.

Kai pushed her own plate back and went to the Great Hall. Zev had said something about the chest of Vimaro's papers and trinkets being there. Kai figured now was as good a time as any to take a look. Though truth be told, her Antivan was a little lacking as was her Orlesian. Her old tutor would be appalled, and she could almost hear the old sage chastising her. She walked in to find Leli already working on what she guessed was another ballad, causing Kai to grimace. She only hoped it wasn't about her again.

She found the chest and pulled it over in front of a chair so she could sit down and opened it up. It held a smaller box, locked, and stacks of parchment. The documents were in Antivan, Ferelden, and Orlesian. Kai sorted the piles. She put aside all the ones in Ferelden for herself to go over. The ones in Orlesian she asked Leli to look over. The pretty bard obliged and walked over to sit on the floor and go through them. Fiona and Wynne had brought the twins in and put a blanket down on the floor next to Kai and Leli. They began a conversation about magic. Morrigan soon entered the room with Fergus, and the two of them went to a quiet dark corner of the hall. Kai grinned at that. Sten, and Oghren came in on their heels along with the dwarven checker board, the bag with the pieces, a pony keg, mugs, and cookies. Kai couldn't help but smile at them.

Kai wondered where Zev had gotten to. She really wanted him to look at the papers in Antivan. Otherwise, she was going to have to muddle through them with a stilted childlike reading, and she might miss something. So far, the papers dealt with contracts already fulfilled. Vimaro apparently liked to relive the kills his Crows had made, for along with the contracts were notes written in Antivan describing the sometimes horrible ends that their marks had suffered. She could at least get the gist, even with her limited abilities to translate. Kai felt ill.

She decided to turn her attention to the little locked box. She picked the lock with a lock pick she kept stashed in her boot. It was a habit she had picked up while traveling during the Blight. The chest opened up and in it were different objects. A bag of marbles, love letters, a scrap of lace, a wooden ball with the constellations painted on it, a ragged well loved doll, a string of dirty buttons. They looked to be beloved keepsakes. She carefully and respectfully pulled out each and every one. These must have been treasures that Vimaro stripped from his Crows. He took precious things in cruelty and coldness to make his Crows less like people and more like tools. Kai felt her eyes swimming with tears, and her heart filled with anger. If she could resurrect Vimaro and kill him again, she would, a thousand time over. She was still taking out objects when Zev came in with a chest bearing the Calvados cognac. He must have been digging it out of storage. Kai smiled at him as he poured her a glass after warming it with a taper. He was so damn thoughtful; he must have figured she would need it to go through Vimaro's things. She felt dirty just touching them.

She smiled at him in thanks. "Zev, would you mind looking at these papers? My Antivan is, well, lacking. I doubt there is anything really important in them. So far what Leli and I have found isn't all that exciting. Vicious and cruel, but not exciting. I don't want to leave anything undone that might put my Scath in danger." He nodded and started reading, taking the stack of papers with him as he sat on the floor next to the twins.

Kai continued to take out items from the box. She thought she had hit the bottom as it was dark but her fingers brushed something soft. She reached in and pulled out a pair of beautiful, dark green, leather gloves. They were a woman's gloves, made for dainty long fingered hands. The gloves were lined in soft, gray, rabbit fur. The expert embroidery picked out with thread delicate vines, flowers, and little birds and rabbits bordering the edges of the cuffs. They were exquisite, and they made her heart hurt. They were Dalish, and except that they were more intricate and made for a woman, they were just like the gloves she had given him. The ones that she had bought for him from the Dalish in the Brecilian Forest during the Blight. She had bought them as a gift for him after he had told her of his dead mother's gloves and how they had been taken from him as a little boy new to the Crows. She stole a glance at him and was surprised to find him just holding a piece of paper and staring into space.

She touched him on the shoulder and he startled. "Zev, are you all right?" His mask was in place, and he just nodded. "Zev, I think I found something that belongs to you." She smiled and handed him the gloves. He took them and looked at them, then at her, his face unreadable. Without a word, he got up clutching the paper and the gloves and left the hall. Kai looked at Leli, who shrugged. Kai cocked an eyebrow and looked at the twins. Leli nodded and motioned towards the door.

Kai found he had quite a head start on her, and she had to practically run to keep up. He went straight to their room and went in. By the time she got there and opened the door, it was to find him throwing his things into a bag. She felt her heart squeezing painfully in her chest. So, he had finally decided to leave. She stood with her back to the door without really seeing, while he rummaged through chests. Her mind was going a mile a minute. He had not been like this earlier. If anything he was more affectionate, more at ease. Kai decided to go against her own policy. He was going to have to talk to her before he was free to leave. She locked the door and slipped the key into the pocket of her leggings.

He spun around when he heard the key twist in the lock. "Give me the key, Warden." His voice was cold and biting.

"No. Are we not friends again, Zev? What is wrong? You were fine only a moment ago, and now you are packing? What did you find in his papers that upset you so?" Kai looked at him. She felt as if she were fighting a battle, and she didn't know the enemy.

"It is not your concern. And there is no being friends with me, Warden. You should have killed me when you had the chance. Since you will not, I will take myself away from you." He started going through one of the armoires closest to him. Kai flinched – his voice was the cold assassin voice she had heard him use only rarely around her.

Kai went over to the table and picked up the piece of parchment sitting under his mother's gloves. She began reading it, cursing her slow reading in Antivan. When she was done, she looked up to find him staring at her, his amber eyes shuttered and his face set like stone. "Do you understand now, Warden?"

Kai merely stared at him. "It says that Vimaro had a contract with Taliesin to make _you_ kill Rinna." Kai shrugged. "That is if I am reading it right. He wanted to break you. He apparently hoped you would be shattered and would get yourself killed on your next contract out of guilt when you found out her 'betrayal' wasn't true. Which means Vimaro was planning on a win-win for himself. You were a threat. Too good to stay in the lower ranks, too good not to be a master. You could have fought him and been the master of your cell. So, he involved your supposed friend Taliesin. When it was all over, Taliesin would be Vimaro's second. And?"

"And? And! Warden, is that all you have to say? I am nothing more than what he says I am. Look what I did to the woman I loved, and I was manipulated. To have been manipulated by Vimaro was to be expected. He was a monster, it was what he did. But to be played like a cheap fiddle by Taliesin, that is not. He and I had been together since we were boys. He protected me from the others when I first came to the Crows. If he could kill the woman I loved so coldly, and I could let him, then I am no better than either of them, and perhaps less trustworthy." Zevran turned back from her and began to continue going through one of the armoires.

"Zev you know that is not true..." Kai jerked to a stop when he slammed his hand down on the table with such force that everything on it jumped and rattled.

Then, it struck her. He was afraid. Afraid as he had never been of death. When he was a slave to the Crows, death would have been a way out. When he had been captured by her, he simply saw an opportunity to get out from under the Crows without having to die to do so. Even then, he was being hunted by them, and he had only traded one master for another by swearing to serve her. Then there was the Blight followed by Vimaro's hunting him. No time to choose, not really. Now here he was with a true choice about whom he wished to be, and it frightened him. He was afraid that his past and what he had had to do had made him into a creature like his so-called friend Taliesin. So, he would punish himself. He was even afraid of what he felt for her too, a reminder of his Rinna. She would just have to show him he was a different man from the one he saw on a contract between two monsters. And that man deserved to be free from a past that was not of his choosing. He deserved to forgive himself.

She kept her voice even and neutral. "So you think, what? That you are nothing but an assassin who takes from life and takes lives? The man who charmed and bedded many of his victims? The man who watched a mark go through all seven stages of Lanthrax poisoning? The man who let himself fall in love and watched while his beloved got her throat slit because he thought she was a traitor?" Kai stepped towards him, still keeping her voice conversational. "Oh, you are the man who did all those things to be sure. But shall I tell you who you really are _Zevran Arainai_?" She cocked her eyebrow at him while tilting her head.

"Stop saying my name like that, as if you really know me, Warden. You do not know me at all." His voice was quiet and cold.

"And why should I not? It is your name. It says so on your birth certificate." Kai waved her hand at the stack of papers sitting on the table. "As to knowing who you really are, I have known who that person is since I first met you, _Zevran Arainai_." She spoke softly and started walking towards him. He stepped away, keeping the table between them.

"Stop saying that you know me, Warden!" His face was still stony, but his voice had warmed slightly from his cold assassin tone.

"Or what, Zevran?" Kai shrugged. "Where were we? Ah yes, what made the man I know? What kind of man is he, this _Zevran Arainai? _Shall I tell you about the man you are so afraid of? Because that is what this is, no?" Kai gestured with her hands. "You fear who you really are. Rinna knew the real you, so do the others downstairs, as do I, _Zevran Arainai._" Kai kept her face as neutral as her voice. "The little boy whose mother died bringing him into the world. She could have ended the pregnancy, but she wanted you. I know I would have died to bring Fi and Duncan into the world. She wanted you." Kai stepped forward again, and he retreated.

"And then what? Ah yes, the whorehouse, the...what was it named? Ah, The Golden Fan, where they could have dumped the babe out on the trash in an alley. No one would have cared. Newborns take time, feedings, nappies, so they figured on keeping you for slave labor, an investment. And this sweet little innocent baby grew into a little boy growing up in a place seeing things he shouldn't. Being used to clean up after the whores and their johns, no doubt. No one to really care about _you_. And what did this smart, fast, bright little boy do? Why, you taught yourself to read and write. And one day while holding your mother's gloves, did you think of running to her people? Surely she loved you so much, that one of them would do likewise, protect you and be there for you. But to them you were just a 'flat eared' bastard whose mother hadn't the good sense to stay with her clan and had run to the city to be a slave to Shem. I bet you received a less than warm welcome."

"Stop, stop now, Warden." Kai thought she heard cracks in the wall he had built around himself. In for a copper, in for a sovereign.

"Oh, but I am just getting started, _Zevran Arainai. _You want to know the real you, don't you? The one we all know. You should get to know this fellow. Now where was I before you interrupted me?" Kai put a finger to her lips as if she were thinking. "Yes, so what did you do? The only thing you could do; you went back to the only life you had ever known. Even if it was a horrible life, there was no choice, not for you. So what happens when little boys hit growth spurts and need more food, which costs money? The Golden Fan decided to sell you; one less whorehouse brat to feed before said mouth got bigger and needed more was their goal to be sure. So, they sold you into slavery with the Crows at the tender age of seven. Again, you had no choice. I am quite sure the life you knew, as horrible as it was, would have been preferable to the one they sold you into so cold heartedly. And not just any cell of Crows, mind you, but the worst cell, run by the youngest, most vicious, most cruel person to ever walk in Thedas, Vimaro. Even at seventeen, he was an abyss on two legs." Kai stepped forward again, speaking softly.

"What you describe, Warden, should only solidify why I am not who you think I am." He tried to put a sneer in his voice, but Kai was a rogue too. She heard the falsity behind the tone, another crack in the shell.

"I was also there in the hideout where Vimaro kept his toys. I know what kind of 'training' he liked to do. That and a box of beloved keepsakes taken away, but not thrown away. Vimaro loved to look at those objects and gloat. I bet he even showed them to you all sometimes, just to remind all of you who owned you. He relished that, didn't he?" Kai stepped forward again.

"Then again, I say that you should only see more clearly what kind of person he trained me to be." Zevran looked away, another little crack.

"You mean the _Zevran Arainai_ who once told a certain bard regarding the art of killing that when the prey is caught, it deserves a good death, a clean death?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at him and moved forward again. "Now, I see papers downstairs that tell me that is not what Vimaro or Taliesin thought. But you are so much more a horror than they, aren't you _Zevran Arainai_? Or do you mean the monster who fell in love despite the torture and mental abuse meant to make him cold and unfeeling? Or are you a fiend because you let Taliesin slit Rinna's throat? And what about that? Even after you felt she betrayed the Crows, and more importantly you, it was not _you_ who pulled the blade across her pretty throat to let the warm blood flow. If you thought that she had lied about loving you, why was it not _you_ who took her life from her? That was what was supposed to happen. It couldn't be that, even after your heart got crushed, you couldn't do it, now could it? No, not that, since you are so cruel and cold." Kai just stepped forward again.

"Enough, Warden! I could kill you now and prove you wrong." Kai noticed he looked ill and slightly feverish. Ah, the wall was falling. Part of her hated hurting him so, but this was a battle and she intended to win it. They had not let her get away with persecuting herself, she could do no less for him. It struck her, again, how much alike they were.

"So you think killing me would prove once and for all, who you really are? Prove me wrong, and you right? Prove that you are undeserving of friendship and love? Well, then let me help you." Kai went over to one of the chests along the wall and dug into it for a moment until she had what she sought. She came up with Vimaro's fancy, sharp, curvy bladed dagger with jewels in the hilt. She had a moment to be thankful she hadn't had a chance to sell the damn thing. She pulled it from its scabbard with a slick hiss of metal on metal, ending with a clang as she tossed the scabbard away with so much force that it hit the wall. She didn't take her eyes off of his. Her own personal dare.

"Well then, it is a good thing for you, the abyss that you are, that you didn't get a vallaslin after all. Then this would be moot for both of us, no? But now you can prove you are everything your former master wanted. He will win, you will win, and you will get the key and walk away having finally fulfilled your contract, no?" She saw him pale under that honey skin. "You could take the contract to Ignacio, even, we have it here. I wonder if they would still pay you?" She saw him clench his fists as he flinched. Kai walked up until she was standing right in front of him and held her open palms up with the dagger resting across them. "Though I am loath to tell an expert of death and cruelty like yourself how to implement the demise of a mark, may I be so bold as to point out my own vallaslin provides the perfect spot to put the blade? I recommend sliding it between the ribs and giving a quick flick of your wrist to sever the aorta. You will get less blood on you that way, the bleeding would be internal mostly. You know, so the others won't get suspicious. You could walk out the front door and be gone." She allowed herself a low chuckle and was pleased to see him cringe and take a slight step back.

"Whatever is the matter, Zevran the beast?" Kai let a smile play on her lips, pitching her voice low and cruelly seductive. "Perhaps it is as you told me once. Some people do need to die, no? Would it help if I told you that I too am a monster? Did I ever tell you what I did in a little town we went to after the fall of Ostagar? A town called Lothering. It was horrific, packed with people fleeing the darkspawn. The bann had left, taking all the soldiers and any able-bodied men in the town to Denerim to Loghain, to replace the army he helped decimate. Refugees were sleeping in gutters and on the floors of the Chantry and the inn. You could hear weeping and moaning, children crying. It was filled to the gills, with not enough food. And people were getting sick from the filth. There was lawlessness, bandits were everywhere. Bears and wolves were attacking, themselves driven north by the darkspawn and sensing weakness in the humans. The Templars couldn't do anything. The suffering was unimaginable. Loghain had put a bounty on any Grey Warden survivors. While we were there, a group of men in tattered clothing with dull, cheap weapons they hardly knew how to use, confronted us. It was just Alistair, Morrigan, Argus and myself at the time. They were going to collect the bounty. And I slit one man's belly open. You should have seen his eyes, Zev, when he watched his own guts spill out in long ropes that he tripped over. I killed them, the others did too, but I was the leader, even then. _I _killed them all. And all they wanted was to fill their crying children's bellies. I left their wives widows and their children fatherless, all for the audacious crime of wanting to eat. I left them in pools of their own blood in a field, and I didn't look back. But I have done so much more than that, just as horrendous and cruel. Would you like to hear everything, or will that _one moment _of savagery be sufficient for you to feel I need to die?" Kai stood staring at him. He seemed frozen to the spot. She grabbed his hand and thrust the dagger's pommel into it forcing him to curl his fingers around it. "There is a certain ironic completion for you to use your old master's dagger, isn't there?" She just gave him a raised eyebrow and a cold smile. Then she leaned in close. "So, what exactly are you waiting for..._monster._"

He seemed to be fixed to the spot, not even breathing. Then he looked at her and uttered a feral growl as he flung the dagger away. Kai had only a moment to register the clang of the metal as it hit the stone floor with such force she would be surprised if it didn't chip a stone or break the blade.

Then his lips were on hers, hot and devouring, and she had a moment to picture a lamppost covered in snow before she found herself otherwise occupied. Her whole body was suddenly acute as if every cell had been set ablaze. His hands were tearing at her shirt as his lips seemed plastered to hers, tongues meeting in a kind of fight of their own that mirrored their hands. Her own were reaching under his shirt to rake nails along his back, which elicited a deeper growl and a more fevered rush to get her shirt off. His mouth biting her neck caused her to groan, which seemed to spur him on as he nibbled and sucked as he carried her to the bed. She couldn't have cared less, bed, floor. Her poor body which had been denied for so long had a mind of its own.

Sod it, Alistair had been right, she hadn't felt so alive in ages. To be touched and taken and driven to a kind of physical madness, oh this was one of the joys of a corporeal body. She bit and licked any skin of his she could reach, while clawing like a cat. His fingers were bruising in their intensity, grasping her hips as he drew her to him, a mirror of their emotional sparring. One more battlefield. He pushed her arms over her head while he feasted on one breast then the other until her breathing was nothing but ragged little gasps and she arched under him. When his teeth raked one swollen nipple, eliciting a cry, he fumbled and tore at the rest of her clothing as she tore at his. The key was completely forgotten. They came together as he entered her with determined luscious abandon. This wasn't slowly climbing a spinning mountain, so much as sliding on ice at breakneck speed. Their mouths, hands and bodies meeting in a kind of war, who could take more, push more, make the other feel more. When the climax hit her, it wasn't like an arrow from a bow so much as it was a ball from a Qunari cannon. All her pent up emotions – sorrow, fear, anger – had all been released one explosion of lust. It left her barely able to breathe. Her heart was pounding madly as she quivered underneath him, her body still riding waves of energy as if it had been so constrained for so long that once allowed to release, it couldn't stop. His name was like a mantra, "Zev!" She was helpless to do anything but surrender to it, and she felt his own body shudder in response as he, too, lost himself.

When the currents had finally subsided, like the tide on the ocean going out, they were replaced by a boneless sensation as if she had been cut open and her entire skeleton removed. She felt so soft! She was reveling in the feeling to such a point that she hadn't realized she was dozing off, until she heard a slight sob and realized that her shoulder was getting wet. Just like with Alistair in the Fade. She just wrapped her arms around Zev's naked torso, holding him tight. She didn't try and make patronizing, soothing tones or phrases. Just as he never done with her. He had always quietly been there to support her and let her grieve and get it out. She just stroked his skin and kissed his shoulder. To grieve for it all, especially his Rinna, and to let the guilt go. Eventually, he rolled to the side and pulled her to him, saying nothing. She just put her head on his chest and snuggled in. She fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.


	54. Chapter 55

**BioWare owns all etc., etc., etc., you know how much is mine. LOL! : )**

_So our Antivan finally got to confront his past and grieve for what it was, and what it was not. A little therapeutic lovin' doesn't hurt either now does it? Especially not when I had teased you all so long with a Zev/Kai hook up. Which from your reviews I did a good job with. For which I am extremely relieved. I was worried that you would all wonder where I was going with that, taking our slick, controlled, calm assassin down that path. Glad it was not only believable but enjoyable. It may not be as "WOW," in every chapter, but I will strive to continue to keep it entertaining. And of course have more few more of those "WOW" moments. I think I have a few up my sleeve to get you with still. : )_

_As always, please keep the reviews coming, and not only for the author's ego gratification fix, to which I admit I am addicted. But your reviews really do help me write the story. Sometimes something like a simple sentence you give me gives me an idea. And I love when you tell me actual ideas you have had. Several of you have all gotten shout outs rightly deserved for your contributions. Which leads me to another shout out for Night Hunter MGS, and our shared love of the movie The Princess Bride. That it just had to be done, was inconceivable! : )_

_You all are so wonderful. You are all just incredible fans. And that you think I am amazing, floors me. How did I fool you guys? LOL. I can't thank you all enough for making this, my first fanfic ever, such a fun and rewarding experience. Big hugs from me and Kai! : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai woke up with sunlight streaming in the small windows in the bedroom. She had to admit she had not slept so well in a long, long time. She rolled over to see the bed empty, Zev must have gotten up early. She was about to just drift off again when she realized the bag he had been packing, all of his papers, and the gloves were gone. The table was empty of anything that had been sitting on it last night. She felt her heart beating painfully in her chest. She leapt up and grabbed the nightshirt and robe still lying across the foot of the bed. She was going to go to the stables and see if Rhia was gone. Maybe the stable master would know how long ago he left, and in what direction. But as she reached for the handle, the door opened, and he walked in with the Fi and Duncan, one in each arm. Zev kicked the door closed with his foot. "They are almost too big to carry together, my dear Kai, unless you are Sten that is." She almost wanted to laugh with relief. "Kaidana, what is it?" He looked up and must have seen her face and thought something awful had happened. She almost thought something awful had.

She felt herself blushing with embarrassment. "Nothing, really." She looked away from his gaze while taking Duncan from him.

She felt his nimble fingers, now freed from holding one babe, grasp her chin and lift it so she would look at him again. "Did you really think I would leave after you saved me from myself, Kaidana?" His voice was soft.

She flushed harder and looked into amber eyes that had been so cold last night; they were nothing but warm now. "Well, you weren't in the most steady of moods last night. And I may have pushed at you really, really hard. All right I _did_ push you really, really hard. And well..." she let that trail off. _And then we had sex. Really, really hot sex, which always changes the dynamics of a relationship,_ she thought to herself. She gave a mental huff. Anything else she might say would just sound lame. Well, OK, lamer than what was already coming out of her mouth. She just blushed harder and chewed on her lower lip. Maker, she hadn't been this bungling and inane after she and Alistair had, well...she let _that _trail off in her own head as well. Wasn't she just a smooth talker today?

"No, Kaidana, you gave me the chance to choose, and I choose you." He leaned forward and effectively stopped her from chewing on her own lip by nibbling on it lightly himself. Those words, and strangely enough his Antivan accent saying her full name, made her heart beat faster and made her warmer in, well, certain places. Oh, and what he was doing to her mouth too. She had never liked the sound of her full name until now. Of course that could have had to do with hearing it only when she was in trouble for something when she was growing up. When he pulled back, he had a cheeky grin on his face. "Provided, of course, Alistair still doesn't mind sharing. You know, I always imagined a three-way with you, but it never involved a dead person. I had imagined it with you and Leli, or you and Isobel, or..." Kai rolled her eyes and laughed while she put a finger to his lips, stopping him. He only kissed her fingertip and tilted Fi up to kiss her on the cheek when she burbled at him. "I thought the little ones might like to have some breakfast from you and maybe some porridge downstairs with us."

He helped her and the twins get situated on the bed. While she was feeding them, he went to the armoire to get clean nappies and clothes for them, and a tunic and leggings for her. "Since you were fast asleep, my dear Kaidana, I cleaned up our mess from last night. Though I fear we will have to ask Wynne to help repair some rather abused clothing items." Kai blushed. "Ah, I love it when you flush so, reminds me of when you flushed last night."

"Zev!" She blushed harder as she yelped his name so loud that it made the twins fuss at the disturbance. Focusing on them gave her a chance to try and get her skin to go back to its normal coloring.

He only gave her a full throated laugh. "My dear, am I not allowed to appreciate your skin's delightful ability to suffuse itself with a rosy glow when embarrassed or..."

"Or when I have intimate relations with a man who is entirely too brazen for his own good?" Kai laughed at him. "Yes, you are not allowed in front of the others. I would never get the blush to go away or be able to look them in the eye!"

"My dear Kaidana, you wound me yet again! Such rules, such restrictions! Oh well, if I get to stay with such a goddess, then I will just have to learn how to live with such harsh decrees. I am sure I can make the most of it." He grinned at her as he came to sit on the bed next to her and gently stroked Duncan's hair.

Kai's smile faded fast. "Zev, about last night, I...I am sorry. I was cruel. I didn't know what else to do. You were not yourself..." He shook his head and put _his_ finger on _her_ lips this time.

"No, you are my only real, true friend, as Taliesin never was. That is all I really had to know for me to differentiate between who I thought I was and who I really am. The others are my friends, too. If I had only thought about it, I would have realized that they aren't just friends with me because of you, which I had always believed to be the case. They volunteered to rescue me from Vimaro; you told me that, I just did not process it at the time. I had an epiphany last night, my dear Kaidana, thanks to you. I had not been as observant as I should have been about the more important things, and what I had discovered, I hid from myself. There were things I blamed myself for that I had no choice in. Similar to a certain Warden I know, no? I didn't think I really was, or even deserved to be, the person you see. But it was truly fortunate that I had a friend that does know _me_, no? A friend who apparently saw the real me all along and refused to let me displace him." He smiled at her and stroked her cheek. "And you did what you had to do to make me understand that the person I was not willing to look at was really the person Rinna loved and that you love. The person I really am." It was his turn to blush, which Kai had never seen him do. She leaned in and rested her forehead against his.

"You just needed to forgive yourself and see yourself as we all see you. As I see you." Kai kissed him on the end of his nose.

"You know, I ought to go back to the fortune teller in Antiva and give her a handful of gold. She said I was one of the luckiest people whose palm she had ever read." His smile got wider. "At the time, I thought she was a terrible fraud. She told _me_, an assassin and a Crow, that I would live to be an old man. I did not pay her enough, I think."

Kai laughed. "I would love to see Antiva, sometime. Maybe we can make a trip of it? But, no whorehouses!" She broke in as his mouth opened in response.

"My dear Kaidana, I was only going to say that I know a place that serves the best seafood chowder in all of Antiva. That it happens to be a whorehouse is not really the point, no?" He gave her a sly grin.

"You are just a scoundrel aren't you? Help with them, and we can go down to the hall and eat." She grinned at him. He chuckled at her and helped her get the twins changed and dressed. Then she got herself dressed. Kai put Fi on one hip. She could see what he meant about carrying both of them. They made their way down the hallway, through the atrium, and around the corner to the dining hall. The smell of breakfast had her mouth watering and her stomach growling. The buffet table was set up with various food items, including sticky buns again. Everyone was there eating and talking, including Shale, who was finally allowed to move now that her injuries had mostly healed. The sight of the big stone golem made her very happy indeed.

All conversation stopped as they walked in, and all eyes turned towards them. Leliana and her brother Fergus both had wide and sly grins, like cats with cream droplets on their whiskers while sitting in the pantry next to broken crockery. Leli looked particularly smug. Kai felt herself turning pink, but she continued to walk across the room and put Fi into her highchair and tie a bib on her. Kai ignored them all and went to get a bowl of porridge and some sticky buns. Kai handed the bowl of porridge to Fiona who was already occupied with the twins and grinned and winked when she looked at Kai. Kai blushed harder and went back to get her own bowl of porridge sweetened with honey and sprinkled with spices. She grabbed a spoon and sat herself down next to Morrigan.

Though she could still feel their eyes on her, she tried to concentrate on spooning up porridge as Zevran sat next to her. Schooling her face in what she hoped was a neutral mask, she looked up to find her brother smirking at her and trying not to laugh. Sten and Shale wore their usual stoic faces. Oghren too was grinning at her and chuckling. Even Wynne was trying to hide a smile, and Morrigan cocked an eyebrow at her with the slightest of curves to one side of her pretty mouth while she tilted her head. Kai just huffed and kept on eating.

Leliana's lilting, accented voice broke the silence. "You know, the door was locked last night when we tried to bring the twins by. I do hope _nothing _was wrong." The pretty red head just licked her lips and smiled wider.

"Everything was fine, Zev and I just had to...talk." Kai blushed harder. "I am sorry to have left you with babysitting."

Fiona grinned at Wynne. "Oh, it was no trouble, Wynne and I were happy to keep them while you two _talked._" Kai groaned inwardly. She didn't even try to look at Zev, afraid that if she did her head would explode with all the blood rushing to it, the blush that would finally kill her.

She could feel them all continuing to stare. "Fine, fine! We did more than talk. We..." Kai was interrupted by Oghren.

"Rolled your oats? Forged the moaning statue, polished the footstones? Aye, Warden, we guessed that." He winked at her. Kai rolled her eyes and wanted nothing more than to crawl under the table.

"What, do I have a sign on my forehead? Does Zev? Maker, what a bunch of busybodies!" Kai's ears were burning with heat. "You would think my _friends_ would be polite enough not to mention it."

"Aw, but you and Zev make a cute couple. We couldn't help but notice what a beautiful glow you have this morning, and you look more relaxed." Leli's pretty voice broke in.

"That and the fact that you have a few, um, marks on your neck, dear sister." Fergus grinned harder as Leli smacked him on the arm. "Oh, and the glow of course." Then he started laughing.

Shale's gravely and amused voice had a smile in it. "So, it has succumbed to the painted elf's charms and bedded it? This is inconceivable, as I myself have always found it to be most annoying."

Sten too gave Kai what passed for a smile on his stolid face. "It is inconceivable that Kadan thought we wouldn't notice."

"What is truly inconceivable is that the fool Templar would do something as practical as allowing his lover to seek the pleasures of the flesh with another. 'Tis a shock he could be so pragmatic."

"Huh, what is inconceivable is that they haven't been at it like nugs before this. I mean, the Warden isn't bad lookin' for a human." Oghren punctuated his comment with a leer and a bite of sausage.

Zevran's voice was filled with laughter. "You all keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Kai rolled her eyes and sighed. She resisted the urge to pull her shirt up higher; it would do no good now anyways. She finally braved a look at Zev, who did not look embarrassed in the least. Andraste's flaming knickers, she should have known he wouldn't be. Which left her as the only target for their combined amusement. She was just about to get up and leave in a huff when her daughter flung porridge, hitting Sten right between the eyes. They all turned to see how the giant Qunari would take it. He simply wiped his face off with a napkin, reached out and tickled her with a big finger, eliciting a giggle from her. Fi and Duncan just loved Sten, and Kai suspected he loved them back, not that he would have admitted it.

It was just the outlet for her embarrassment that she needed. "You know Sten, you looked good with that oatmeal on your face. I think Fi had the right idea. Some of you need to wear it too." Kai laughed and flung her own spoonful catching her brother Fergus in the side of the head. "In fact I think you all need some." And Kai started flinging more at all the others. Fergus flung his scrambled eggs at her. Soon, everyone was circling around the room trying to get more ammunition or keeping each other from same, all the while ducking and bobbing and trying to avoid being hit. Even Shale had joined and had picked up the whole big kettle of porridge and held it up to throw at Kai.

"Now Shale, you don't want to fling that whole thing. It wouldn't be fair after all." Kai held her hands up in a placating gesture. But she watched Shale's stony face grin wide, and she flung the contents of the pot forward. Kai, her rogue instincts taking over, ducked. The oatmeal arced out over her head and behind her.

When Kai turned to see where it had landed, she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud. It had hit Sten full on. He was covered head to toe with gruel; it ran down his immobile face and dripped off his high brow bone and the end of his nose. His face was completely still. Kai put a hand on her lips to try and stop the giggles which were already escaping. He looked at her and then he grabbed her up and started wiping handfuls off himself and rubbing it in her hair and face while she squealed and laughed. "Sten, put me down, you're supposed to throw it, not capture someone and rub it all over them!"

"If I am to be covered in this, is it not also allowed cover the enemy? Though the rules of this war exercise were not explained to me, I thought that was the goal, was it not Kadan? There were no rules that said how one had to cover the enemy in food." Kai could only laugh harder and nod her head. He had her there. Kai took a look around the room. Fiona, Wynne, and the twins were nowhere to be seen. The dining hall was a complete and utter mess. Food was everywhere. All of her compatriots, save Argus who had been under the table the whole time, were covered in various food items, even Morrigan. Kai was pleased to see her sister looking not annoyed or angry, but amused as she tenderly wiped off the jam covering Fergus's face. Argus was busy licking up all the food he could reach off of chairs or the floor, even the others.

Suddenly, she was hit with an overwhelming love for all of them. Her family, Maker, she was so lucky. And she found she didn't even mind them teasing her about her and Zev. In fact, it made her love them more. It showed they cared about her too. Hm, making love and a food fight had served to help her heal from everything that had happened since Alistair's death, culminating in Erys's treachery. She looked down and realized she still had a sticky bun in her hand. She took a bite and smacked Sten in the forehead with it causing him to drop her in surprise as she made a break for the door, laughing. She darted around the corner making her way to Highever lake. She was going to get all this food off, then get a bath. Then, she was going to get a bag of coins together for the servants as a bonus for having to clean up the mess she started. She grinned, it would need to be a _very_ big bonus.


	55. Chapter 56

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc.. : )**

_I wanted the last chapter to be partly Kai and Zev talking and part, fun. It can't all be serious all the time. And I love writing Fergus and Kai together. So I just had to have a little more of their relationship in the last chapter. And I am so glad you all liked the food fight. I just couldn't resist, and it was so damn fun to write. : )_

_Chapter 55! Really? Wow! I am so glad you all feel it is a worthwhile journey. I have enjoyed creating it for you all and giving the characters life and depth. And the same with my own additions and creations too. And speaking of new additions. Here you are going to be introduced to a new character, and no I won't spoil it for you. I only hope you enjoy, it was inspired in part by one of my favorite Sci-Fi Fantasy authors Robert Asprin's Phule's Company, and other Phule's books. So a shout out to him. And a shout out to Lisette57 and mnomaha, their postulations helped me write part of this chapter. And a shout out to Night Hunter MGS, for the inspiration on the Oghren awesome moment, and for being in sync with my mind. And Night Hunter MGS, and thus myself, were inspired for Oghren's dialogue from the movie _The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. _Even though the fight in here was thought of by both of us separately, I have to give NH MGS the kudos. I apologize my friend that I didn't get to use it for Leliana as you suggested. But I hope you will like who I did use it for. : )_

_Oh and a small shout out to the Three Musketeer's movie with Tim Curry and Rebecca De Mornay's scene in it. Think Rebecca De Mornay when you meet our new player, as I was inspired by her for a scene for this chapter. : )_

_Thank you, your reviews are so inspiring and wonderful. I just can't thank you all enough for the support. I could write a whole fanfic based on the gratitude I feel towards you all. But it wouldn't be enough. Still just humbled by it all. And for taking time out of your busy lives to review, that is something I promise I don't take for granted over my own ego gratification, I promise! You all just make my writing vibrant. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai had managed to get the oatmeal out of her hair mostly. She had dunked herself in the cold clear water of the lake and gotten the major clumps off. The fish in the lake had even helped by nibbling the porridge, eggs, bacon, and other food bits off of her. She had dripped her way, shaking with cold, back to the castle and into her room leaving a trail of wet footprints. But at least it wasn't a trail of food, which would have been even more work for the servants to clean up. She had a moment to wonder what the others were going to do. It caused her to grin and chuckle to herself.

In the room she ran the tap for hot water into the stone tub in the room. Once again she was in awe of the dwarven engineering that her grandfather had the foresight to commission. According to her father, it had been quite an undertaking. On this day in particular she was especially grateful. Other nobles had scoffed, her father had said, at hiring casteless dwarves. But they didn't scoff when they came to visit and had hot and cold running water without waiting for servants to heat and pour water into the tubs. She let the hot water fill the tub part way and then ran the cold. She dipped her hand in and swirled the water around until it was the right temperature. She added the bath salts Leliana was fond of making and had given her back in the Dalish camp. Again the lovely scents of lavender, rose, and cloves rose up to meet her on the steam. She got undressed and lay her clothes over the edge of the tub so they wouldn't mildew before stepping into the warm water. The shock to her cold skin made her gasp before she quickly became used to it. She rested against the edge of the tub and found her eyelids dropping down, and she slipped into the Fade.

_And there he was, naked and in the bath with her, smiling. Kai leaned forward and planted her lips on his. He was the candle, and she was the moth. As always his big hands and strong arms encircled her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck so she could run her hands through his hair. She loved his hair. She loved everything about him. She sighed contentedly against his lips. He was nibbling down her neck, and she felt herself beginning to blush. "Um, Ali? I hate to belabor a point but..."_

"_You had sex with Zevran; yeah, got it when the lamppost appeared in my head. No, I didn't peek; your father and I played chess." He kept nibbling on her throat and his hands were roaming along her front._

"_But..." Kai started again._

_He smiled his lopsided smile at her. "Mi' gra, I am trying to concentrate; I have the most beautiful woman in all of Thedas, who also loves me, here in the dream Fade, and I want to play. If you are going to ask if I am jealous, yes. But not of Zevran himself. I am jealous of a situation. He gets to be there with you, and I don't, not only to share a physical life, but to protect you. That has always been my job. But you are going to come to me in the Fade beyond the Black City again. You are my heart and soul. My gradhag, my beloved. So, I just have to be patient, as do you. Now will you please stop worrying? I like Zev. Truth be told, I liked him a lot at the end, the rascal. I admit it, I was totally wrong about him, and you were right."_

"_Oh, I should have you tell Andraste to mark it down, I was right!" Kai grinned at him, teasing him with his own words._

_He laughed. "Ha, very ha! And I like him even more as time goes by. I see what you see, remember? I have seen his concern for you. His concern for and protection of our children. How he is thoughtful and treats you the way you deserve to be treated. He even keeps you from persecuting yourself too much, for which you have a knack. Really, if I could have handpicked someone who was good for you and them, and who is able to protect you all, then it would be him. Even if he doesn't use a shield to do it. You were right. Teagan was not the man for you. And your father agrees, by the way." And with that statement he went back to nibbling on her neck. Kai was stroking his shoulders and arching once again under his hands when her eyes flew open._

"_My father agrees? You told my father I am sleeping with Zev?" Kai thought she might stop breathing, except this was a dream. If you stopped breathing in a dream, would it make you stop in the physical plane she wondered wildly._

_Alistair blushed when he looked at her. "Not in so many words. I told him about Zevran protecting you all and being your best friend. How he takes care of you. I think he just inferred the other part."_

_Kai blushed harder. "My mother doesn't know does she?" Kai felt her eyes getting as big as saucers._

"_No, mi' gra, definitely not! Luckily I have learned a trick or two from your father about deflecting your mother's questions. I am becoming quite good at it. You would be so proud." He grinned at her. Then his smile left. "Uh oh, time for you to go." And before she had a chance to ask him what he meant, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and she was pulled out of the Fade once again._

Sod it! Kai woke with a start as it was Zevran's hand that had grasped her shoulder. "My dear Kai, you were saying Alistair's name as you slipped under the water. I don't think he meant for you to drown yourself." Zev grinned at her. "Though after that food fight you started, the servants may want to drown you."

Kai burst out of the water. "Maker, the servants!" She grabbed a towel and began to dry off as quickly as she could. "I intended to give them bonuses for cleaning all that mess. Andraste's knickers, they probably hate me." Kai scrambled to search through one of the armoires for clothes. She was hurriedly dressing when she noticed that Zevran 's hair was wet, but he was clean and dry as were his clothes. "Hey, how did you get cleaned up?"

He gave her a catlike smirk. "First of all, my dear friend, I did not allow myself to get hit as much, nor captured by an oatmeal covered Qunari" He chuckled low in his throat. "As to how I got clean, I snuck into the laundry and found some of my clothes. Then, I made my way to the barracks near the armory. I have been exploring your home, my dear. Highever is amazing, like you, in so many ways."

Kai grinned at him. "Charmer."

He laughed. "Si! But your grandfather who had the indoor plumbing installed was a man ahead of his time, no? His invention of putting enamel coated metal drums in the barracks bathhouse with holes punched in them that fill from the pipes and then drip water down like rain was ingenious. I dare say I was cleaner faster than you. As to the servants, I already slipped them a little gold for cleaning up our mess."

Kai just looked at him. "How did you know I was thinking of doing that? And what did you pay them with?"

"My beautiful Kaidana, I know you. You have never treated anyone as other than an equal or with anything but fairness. You would have felt guilty for all their hard work with no reward. I simply made sure they got what you would have given them. And I paid them with some of the money I won on the fight between you and Zaeed." He grinned at her.

"Oh Zev, I will pay you back. Just tell me how much you gave them."

He walked over to her and stroked her cheek. "There is no need. How many times, my dear friend, have you spent your money on the rest of us? Paintings for Sten, and strange and exotic alcohols for Oghren. Pretty baubles for Morrigan, and shoes and that ugly nug for Leliana. Even for me, gloves and boots and simple bars of precious metals."

"But Zev, some of those things were spoils of battles fought. I didn't buy _all _of it; if I had, we never would have eaten during the Blight." She smiled at him, taking his hand and kissing it.

He put a finger on her lips. "Be that as it may, you spent plenty on everyone else, including me. But never yourself, unless it was equipment. It is my turn, and the least I can do." He leaned over and kissed her lips before continuing. "Now, I had a thought, my dear Kaidana. We really need to get Rajed's weapon made. Wynne says he is healing fast and should be able to start moving about. I suggest we have his brother and Naseel help him with balancing exercises. He is going to be a little off his center with the loss of his arm. I thought it might help him mentally and emotionally if he has their support while he figures it out again. In the meantime, we can ride to Lake Calenhad and speak to our friend the dwarven smith about the new weapon. We should also take any that might need repairs, no?"

She grinned at him. "Well, then let me get some parchment and some charcoal, and I will draw out what I had in mind for the weapon. That way we have something to show our smith friend. I figure if we ride Rhia and Luna Negra, we could be there in a day. I better get a wet nurse. Oh, and I figure Oghren might like to visit with Felsi. I know he can't ride on his own, but he does all right as long as he rides in front of one of us."

"Hm, yes, as long as you can stand the smell and the grumbling." Zevran laughed. "But, I have dealt with worse. Why not? I would not deny our dwarven friend a chance to get lucky." Kai laughed and went to the desk to grab a piece of parchment and a stick of charcoal coated in thin layer of wax. The wax kept the charcoal from getting on the fingers of those using it. She took them over to the table and began to draw several pictures from different angles so that the smith could get a good idea of what she wanted.

"That is very good, I had no idea you could do that." Zev looked over her shoulder at her sketches.

"Hm, oh, well I was always good at drawing and painting. Horrible at embroidery or sewing or weaving. This and cooking were really the only things I ever took to which came close to being noble and 'ladylike'. And I kept this and the cooking a secret from the nobles and their sweaty handed, panting sons. I wasn't trying to land one of them. The less ladylike and noble I was, the better." Kai grinned at him.

Zev only laughed a rich, full throated laugh. "Well, I for one am glad you are not like a typical noble lady of Ferelden, and especially not like those in Antiva."

"I am afraid my parents ruined me, my father in particular. Mother wanted me to be happy, but she also wanted more grandchildren, and she was in despair of ever finding me a husband before she...well, before Howe." Kai still found it hard to talk about that night. Zev just grasped her hand, giving it a squeeze. She gave him a small smile and shrugged. "My father always called me his 'fierce girl' and told me I had the right to choose whom I wanted to be with. He just wanted me to be happy. He still calls me that, in the Fade. Anyways, I learned all the courtly things and the non-courtly ones as well. Some took, some didn't. Guess which ones didn't?" She laughed.

"Hm, the ones you found boring and useless?" Zev chuckled at her as he started to pull out bags and clothing. "Well then, my dear Kai, let us be on our way to get a special weapon made."

And so it was that Kai found herself sitting in The Spoiled Princess tavern's common room nursing a mug of mead two days later with her light cloak's hood pulled up, while Zev sat next to her drinking a local wine. Argus lay on her feet under the table snoring in doggy dreams. Jarren was drinking something which was supposed to be whiskey, but had the dubious distinction of smelling like paint thinner, and if his grimaces were anything to go by, tasting the same way too. Oghren and Felsi were in a dark corner snogging like a couple of teenagers, punctuated by occasional insults to each other about surly brontos and nug droppings. Felsi was supposedly on duty, but as there were only four people in the inn besides her, Zev, Jarren and Oghren and since Kai had paid the innkeeper a handsome sum for his finest rooms and his blindness about who they were plus a stipend while they were away, he didn't snap at Felsi as was his usual wont.

Kai, and she had no doubt Zev and Jarren were too, was observing their fellow guests. Three were locals, wearing the simple clothing of the fisherman here on Lake Calenhad, probably here after a hard day working on their boats or the docks. They were a bit drunk, but not rowdy, at least not yet, though if the empty mugs in front of them were any indication, they were headed there fast. The fourth person was an elven woman who sat in a dimly lit corner watching the room with dark eyes. Her hair was a white blonde that cascaded over her shoulders and shone brightly in the scant light of her chosen seat. She was so small that Kai had taken her for a child at first. However, when she walked up to the bar from her corner, Kai had seen that she was indeed full grown, if the curves in the leathers she wore were an indication. It was then that Kai had seen the gently tapered ears as well. She was so petite that her eyes could barely look over the bar, and she had to climb the bar stool to see the owner and get another mug. She was exquisitely beautiful, even by her race's exotic standards. Elves all tended to be beautiful, but this girl was beyond even that. She was also cautious, suspicious and wary. She had taken her mug back to her table and sat watching the room, much the way Kai herself was doing.

It was some time later when much drunken slurring, joking and back slapping commenced. Much of it was done while looking at the elf in the corner. It became apparent that one of the fishermen had drunk enough courage to stagger to the girl's table. Kai watched as the girl kept her face impassive. The man slurred something loudly that Kai couldn't really hear, but she could interpret well enough from his gestures to the doorway leading to the rooms. The girl simply raised an eyebrow and said something Kai couldn't hear while shaking her head. The girl then gestured to one of the man's fellows and allowed a small smile to play on her lovely lips before leaving her seat with her mug, headed to the bar again. Whatever she said, it made the man angry and his already loud drunken voice rose to a yell. "You elven slattern, how dare you!" As the girl walked past him, he made to grab her. Both Zev and Jarren, even Argus, were about to rise and get involved. Kai put a hand on their arms and stayed them. Almost too quick for the eye to see, the girl had a small, sharp little dagger out and poking between the man's legs, her face cold.

"Elven slattern, am I? Niquer te m'ere. Any closer, round ear, and I will change your religion." She cocked an eyebrow and gave the man a small, nasty smile. Kai heard her accent; it was very familiar. Kai also recognized the Orlesian expletive, as she and Fergus had both learned all the profane words of the other languages they studied before they learned anything useful to say. It was something along the lines of buggering one's mother. Kai wanted to laugh. She looked at Zev out of the corner of her eye to see him smirking. He clearly knew that expression as well. The girl tapped the dagger on the inside of the man's leg. "Now, be a good boy and run along and sleep it off." And she continued to the bar. By now his friends had started to rise; they apparently sensed the lay of the land and were too drunk to care. All they cared about was the blow to their friend's ego. They started advancing on the girl who reached over and grabbed a bottle by the neck, breaking it on the end of the bar and holding it like a sword in one hand with the little dagger still in the other. She crouched slightly and shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. Her eyes watched the men, observing calmly without letting the adrenaline take over. Kai motioned for her friends to get involved. Argus knocked one man down and stood over him growling. Zev and Jarren had daggers on the others.

"Gentlemen, the lady doesn't want your company. Go home to your wives and your children before she cuts you up into chum to feed the fish in the lake," Kai smiled at them. "Because if I tell my friends to back off, she is going to cut off everything that sticks out from your bodies. Walk away." Kai made a gesture, and Argus released the man under him.

The men nodded, their eyes wide, as they backed away to the door. They all filed out, and the door closed behind them. Kai turned towards the girl who still held the bottle and her knife. "I did not need your help, round ear. They should have learned their lesson. It is as you say, I would have cut off all that stuck out from their bodies, no?" Now that she was close enough, Kai could see the girl's eyes were the dark blue-purple of the gem iolite. Her lips and her cheeks were the color of the centers of apple blossoms, her skin smooth and creamy. Kai had never seen anyone so lovely. But for the crude speech and the attitude, she was exquisite, like living doll. Which was no doubt why the diminutive girl had the mien she had. She was undoubtedly treated like an object for her looks and her race. It made Kai like her more; she was spunky.

"May I buy you a drink by way of apology then? My name is Kai." And she stuck out her hand to the young woman.

The girl looked at Kai's hand and down at the broken bottle. She grinned at Kai, shrugged and threw the broken bottle over her shoulder so that it hit the wall behind her, shattering. Before the innkeeper could protest, Kai slapped a sovereign on the bar while grinning without taking her eyes off the lass. She took Kai's hand and shook it. "Gnat."

Kai thought she had heard her wrong. "I am sorry, but did you say 'Gnat,' as in a small biting insect?"

She smiled at Kai's confused expression and nodded her head. "Gnat. That is not my, how do you say, proper name? But it is the name I go by. The name I like to use. I grew up on the streets of Val Royeaux. I was an orphan, and I refused to live in the alienage with a bunch of chatte whipped elves or to be a whore for some nobleman's pleasure. I am a thief and a cutpurse. And sometimes, I am a killer." She grinned even more widely at Kai. "I suspect you and I are similar, are we not?"

Kai was about to answer when they heard high-pitched, terrified screams outside the inn. Kai drew her daggers and called to Argus. Oghren, who had missed all the fuss with the fishermen, now grabbed his axe from the corner behind Felsi. Zev and Jarren already had their blades out as well. Kai and her crew went running out the door.

She smelled them before she saw them. The smell was a peculiar stench of rot coupled with dust and mildew. Sod it! Darkspawn! And she had not been able to sense them. She had forgotten that part. She had been so happy to have that blackness crawling just under the surface of her skin and the constant hum in the back of her head gone, she hadn't given them much thought, just like most Fereldans. She had forgotten, and gladly, their nightmare. She counted four genlocks on the rise of the hill leading out from the lake. Looked like three hurlocks. One of the hurlocks was just finishing sticking its warped, spiked sword through one of the fishermen. The other two fishermen were lying in pools of blood which looked black in the moonlight. The hurlocks' bald emaciated heads with their patchy, leathery, mummified skin turned towards Kai and her group. Lipless faces with black, pointed fangs grimaced at them with hissing noises. Kai felt her blood run cold. "Argus, Zev, Oghren, genlock archers. Jarren, with me, don't be intimidated. They are tough, but they do die. They just take more hits than a normal target. Your best bet is to cut off their heads. They don't survive that. Don't get the blood in your mouth." Kai saw Jarren gulp and nod out of the corner of her eye. Before she could move forward, she glimpsed a blur of movement, and Gnat was on one of the hurlocks with a screaming war cry. She ran up the hurlock and sliced it across the throat, doing a backwards somersault off its chest before it even knew what had happened. She then hamstrung it and stuck her dagger through its mouth into its brain while it screeched in pain. The battle had begun.

After that things went in slow motion. The fighting was familiar and so was the fear. If anything they smelled worse on the inside, their blood reeking of carrion and bile, like vomit and excrement and dark spite. If she listened closely enough, Kai could almost hear their blood humming just like hers used to. A part of her mind wanted nothing more than to run into the lake and wash all the blood off of herself RIGHT NOW! But she ignored the feeling and kept slashing and cutting.

Finally, they had only one left, and Kai was just beginning to feel relieved when the overwhelming stench of a hundred privies in the hottest days of Summer sun hit her. She smelled it before she even felt the vibrations in the ground under her boots. Maker! Kai turned around and felt her heart drop into her stomach. There it was, as tall as the inn, hugely muscled with dark blue skin, a mouth full of fangs, and a head adorned with enormous horns which could knock down a building. "OGRE!" Kai yelled .

Oghren stepped into the fray with Argus biting at the ogre's heels. Kai, Zev and Jarren circled around its flanks. Gnat was following her lead. Quite frankly, Kai was impressed that Gnat was still alive. The girl had talent, even if it was the rough fighting skill of a barroom brawl. Kai and her compatriots kept working on cutting the ogre from behind. Their slices were a way to weaken it so Oghren could get in a killing blow. Let it bleed from a thousand cuts until it became sluggish. They kept circling, dodging when it got angry, like a bear swiping at the bees stinging it. Kai watched Oghren as he dodged his giant foe, swinging his axe and slicing more chunks of ogre flesh off the creature, blood shining black in the moonlight, splattering outwards. She heard the dwarf growling at the ogre, "Never pick a fight with a dwarf, nug humper! Pound for pound, toughest fuckers on Thedas. Know why? 'Cause we like PAIN, nug humper. Think about it. Lichen ale? We make it from crap found in sulphuric pools. What sort of sodded up people even invent that shite?"

The detached part of her mind wanted to laugh at Oghren. Kai was stabbing the creature's thigh. Gnat was next to her and under the ogre's tree-trunk sized legs, and Kai watched her aim a dagger for the ogre's scrotum before Kai could stop her. The slash only enraged it. Kai watched as the monster turned around, aiming to crush Gnat with meaty fists bigger than the girl herself. Kai pushed the diminutive elf out of the way while giving a cry to get its attention. The ogre stopped, screamed and head butted her. She saw rather than felt the impact of those massive horns, hurtling her backwards. _Well, that might have been a very bad idea,_ she found herself thinking as she was airborne. Kai thought she might be OK, if she just used her rogue acrobatics and rolled with the fall. Unfortunately for her, a tree put the kibosh on that little plan. Kai hit it high enough that she saw the fir needles and smelled the sap before she found the ground rushing up to meet her at an alarming speed. She tucked in her shoulder, which she hoped would help relax her into the fall, but the sudden stop knocked the breath out of her. She felt her shoulder give with excruciating pain, making her world go white. Ribs snapped like twigs. _Sod it, not again!_ She would have cried out in pain, but breathing was very difficult. She knew the fall had knocked the breath out of her, but it didn't seem to be getting better with time. If anything, it was getting worse.

"Mi' gra! Hold on, love, just hold on!" Alistair's voice sounded in her head from far away.

Other than Alistair, she couldn't really hear anything much. It was as if she were watching a play with no sound. She could, however, see everything in exquisite detail. The ogre's mouth opened wide, but she heard nothing. She watched as the petite girl stuck her daggers into the ogre's back, using them like claws to climb. The ogre stopped attacking Oghren and started trying to claw whatever was hurting it from behind, but the girl was so tiny it couldn't reach her. Anytime it got close, she stabbed its hand with her free dagger before plunging the blade into its back again. The ogre was so focused on getting the little clawing thing off its back that it was walking around in circles. Gnat, that was her name, right? Kai was having a hard time focusing. She watched as Gnat reached the ogre's neck and stretched around to plant both daggers into the beast's eyes just as its big clawed hands reached up to pluck the object of its ire off its neck. Kai assumed it screamed in pain. She really couldn't say. Once it was blinded, it didn't take long for them to bring it down and kill it. Maker, finally that was over! How she hated those things. She saw Zev running over towards her. He was saying something, but she couldn't hear him. She tried to speak to tell him to talk louder, but she felt warm liquid leaking from her lips; breathing was all she could really manage at the moment. She tried smiling at him, to reassure him, but he just looked more frightened. She thought he might be shouting her name, but she really couldn't tell. She was so tired, she wanted to close her eyes and go to sleep, but Zev kept slapping her cheeks. She was about to simply ignore him when she felt her head lifted and a bottle held to her lips. Kai tasted a health potion and felt the strangely cooling sensation that they always caused right before the uncomfortable warmth of bones knitting and organs healing. She was tired of swallowing, but Zevran wouldn't let her take a break, damn him. Finally, when the last of it was gone, her eyelids got heavy, and the blackness of nothing engulfed her.


	56. Chapter 57

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc.. You know all the things that are mine by now. : )**

_Hehe, so the expansion comes out and my hubby gets to play first. He works from home and ordered it. So, you all get another chapter before I start playing and the chapters get delayed a little. ROFL. I admit that I am addicted to watching hubby's play through. And even with the expansion's story, I still hope you enjoy my universe too. : )_

_For those who read Chapter 55 early after it was posted. Please go back and reread it. I tweaked it and tightened it up a bit. I changed some small things, like why Kai gets hurt. And I fixed all the mistakes I could find, which were many. I blame exhaustion brought on by the stupid time change of "Springing Forward" which means someone stole an hour from me! Call the cops! I was waking up at 5 AM instead of 6 AM. And I was up really late writing to post the chapter. So, I am very sorry it was not the usual gold standard, or at least silver, that I do. Hopefully, most of you were too busy purchasing and playing the new expansion and missed my errors. I was stuck at work and got to edit, boo, and yay. : )_

_Again our intrepid Kai winds up down and out. She hasn't been comatose for a year at least, so that is something, right? I doubt her friends would agree. But hey, you have to count your blessings. And I hope you enjoy the newest addition, one Gnat, by name. Will we ever learn her proper name and what her story is? And what is she really up to? More will be revealed in this and following chapters, I promise. Oh, and another erotic scene with our favorite Antivan heart-throb is in the works too. Of course that will have to wait until Kai has healed from her dance with the big ugly. Special shout out to mnomaha and Phoenix Fire Lady for their inspiration for my scenes with Gnat in this. PFL, the answer to your review was both. : ) SPOILER: And I had to use a phrase used by a different Mage in the new expansion about Wynne, just FYI. For Gnat's voice, think actress Audrey Tatou. : )_

_Thanks to you all who have been my steadfast followers and for taking time out to review. You know I have to give you kudos, tell you all how much I appreciate you. I am with the Antivans, it would be a sin to keep it to myself. I especially want to give a shout out to Lisette57, Night Hunter MGS, and mnomaha for doing so on the day of the release of the expansion. Really, sweeties, I appreciate it on today of all days. And to all of you who have newly put me on story alerts, favs, and new reviews thank you! I am looking at you grouchtomato, since I couldn't send you a personal email to tell you so, thanks for reading and reviewing! : )_

_**Blessings!**_

_Kai saw him standing there, and she ran towards him, her heart felt so light and free. It was filled with that overwhelming sense of love she always felt upon seeing his handsome face. She felt her grin about to split her face in two. As she got closer she saw her parents, Oriana, and Oren behind him. She felt such happiness. She drew close, and she hit an invisible barrier. She put her hands on it seeking any way to penetrate the smooth surface. He just looked at her with a worried look. "No, my love, you can't come here. Not yet. You have to go back."_

_Kai pounded her fists on the surface, tears running down her face. "NO! Please, let me come home. Let me come home." She crumpled, sobbing, at his feet with the clear barrier between them. "Please, please, please," her voice broke in wrenching cries. But when she looked up it wasn't Alistair and her family standing there, but the hurlocks she had just been fighting. They reached for her, hissing, and she found herself crawling away backwards as fast as she could go, until she bumped up against something. When she looked up, she could have wept with relief. Duncan's face looked down at her._

"_There you are, child. It is time for your Joining." Duncan smiled down at her, and she looked around, dazed. She was in the columned area in Ostagar where she had met Alistair for the first time and later had had her joining ceremony. In fact, she was there and so were Ser Jory and Daveth. Even Alistair was there. She looked at her hand, and it held a snow globe with little figures of her parents and Ali in it. She started to crawl away, but Duncan caught her by the foot and pulled her on her stomach across the stone floor. "Oh no, young lady. You must Join again. We never let anyone leave the Grey. You should know that." He drug her to the table where the silver Joining cup sat. The snow globe fell from her hand and rolled away while she scrabbled to dig her fingers into the stones trying to gain purchase. She was grabbing with such desperation she was leaving bloody trails where her skin was peeling off against the rough surface. Duncan brought her to the table and flipped her over onto her back. Daveth and Jory grabbed her under her arms and pulled her upright while Duncan reached for the Joining cup. Kai struggled and sweat broke out all over her body, running in rivulets down her skin._

"_Ali, don't let them do this to me!" She looked at him, her eyes pleading. He only started repeating the Grey invocation that was part of every Joining. "Join us, brothers and sisters,..."_

"_No, Ali, don't let them do this to me, not again, please, please, please...no, no, no, NO!" She was sobbing in earnest now as Duncan put the goblet to her lips. Kai struggled harder..._

And found herself in her room in The Spoiled Princess with a familiar voice filling the room. "'Twill not work if we cannot get her to drink it. The fever is very high; 'twill kill her or turn her into a vegetable if we do not get it to go down."

"In case you have not noticed, my beautiful and dangerous Morrigan, I cannot hold her down when she thrashes in such a state of fear. And her skin is slick, making it very difficult to hold onto her." Zev's voice sounded hot, annoyed, and afraid all at once, as if he was just keeping it under control. Morrigan's voice too had that hot glass tone which indicated she was trying to keep her emotions in check.

"I am awake, so no fighting, all right? Your argument is moot." Kai's head throbbed, she felt as if someone had kicked her in the back, and every joint hurt due to the high fever she seemed to have. She was wet, her night shirt was soaked through, and the bed sheets were wet too. Her mouth felt dry, as if sand had been poured into it. "I will drink whatever it is." Kai tried to reach out, but her arm didn't stay aloft that long; it was also damn hard to do so. She found herself clutched in Zev's arms, her face buried in his chest for a moment before he cradled her torso while Morrigan put a cup to her lips. Kai drank it without even really tasting it. She felt Morrigan's cool hand on her forehead.

"She is still too hot. We must find a way to cool her off, or 'twill kill her." Morrigan's golden eyes looked into hers with love and fear. Kai found herself plucked into Zev's arms and swept from the bed. She had vague impressions of being carried down the hallway, down the stairs, through the common room and out to the lake. She heard splashing as Zev waded into the shallows of Lake Calenhad, and she felt the cold water surround her. It felt like bliss. A sigh escaped her lips. Maker, the water felt so good. She found herself slipping between dozing and waking. She came fully awake when she realized poor Zev was shaking with cold. The lake was not so pleasant for him.

"Zev, you can let go and get out. I can swim well, and any infant can float." Kai smiled at him.

"My dear Kaidana, you are too weak to hold a thimble, let alone swim. And I am not about to let you try and float out here by yourself. You might float out into the lake, and I understand there are nasty things out there due to the potions dumped into the water from the Tower." He continued to clutch her to him. She huffed to herself. She hated putting them all to so much trouble, and yet she kept on getting them in these positions. It was a wonder they didn't all throw their hands up and walk away. Or run away screaming.

"How long was I out?" Kai asked in a small voice, not really wanting to hear the answer, as it was usually days or weeks. His answer surprised her.

"Only about three hours."

"Well, that is certainly an improvement on my usual track record." She smiled at him. He did not smile back and only grasped her more tightly. She found herself shivering like him. "Um, Zev, I think we can get out of the lake now. I am freezing. And I think I can walk." He narrowed his eyes at her and scooped her up once again to walk to the inn. They got to the room to find Morrigan had Jarren and the innkeeper replacing the rather damp mattress with a dry one, including dry pillows, sheets and duvet. When Jarren and the innkeeper had left the room, Morrigan and Zev got her dried off, dressed in a clean shift, and tucked back into bed. Zev got himself dry and dressed and got into bed beside her to cradle her head on his chest. Morrigan sat in a chair next to the bed, feeling her forehead.

"'Tis much better. I think the fever the health potion induced is gone now. The old biddy will be disappointed she came too late to do anything, I think." Morrigan got up and poured a cup of water, bringing it to Kai as she sat down again. She held it to Kai's lips for her to sip from.

"You mean Wynne is coming? Why? You're here." Kai felt herself flushing at all the fuss she was causing.

"When the fool Templar wakes me from my rest yet again to come to your rescue, 'tis prudent to tell the others. So, my sister, I told Wynne and the rest what Alistair told me in the Fade. I shifted into an owl and flew here. Wynne is riding here because she is so special The Fade shines out of her bum, the old bat. The rest are waiting for my report, which I shall make shortly now that your fever is gone." Morrigan stroked her cheek. Kai wanted to giggle about the witch's comments on Wynne, but refrained. The rivalry between mage and witch had been a source of amusement ever since they all came together. The two women were like cats who tolerated each other, barely.

"You said health potion induced fever? I have never had one do that before." Kai took the cup of water from Morrigan's hand with both of hers. She was able to drink from it with trembling hands, but at least she was able to hold it. She considered that an improvement.

"'Tis not something that usually happens, unless one drinks a whole potion at once in the space of a minute. 'Tis why one drinks some potion and has a healer work on the rest." When Kai felt Zev stir as if to say something, Morrigan only reached out a hand and put it on his shoulder. "'Tis not that you had any choice, Zevran. If you had not made her drink the whole thing, you would be burning her along with the darkspawn." Morrigan gave him a slight smile. "Despite the fact that the phallic symbol sitting out in the lake not half a mile from shore is filled to bursting with healers, 'twould have been too late if you had taken the ferry to get there. Again, the result would have been to burn her with those nasty creatures outside."

Kai felt her heart race. "You did tell the innkeeper and any others to cover their faces and stand upwind when burning them didn't you? I don't want anyone turning into a ghoul!" Kai started up as if to rise, and Zev's arms tightened as Morrigan's hand went from Zev's shoulder to Kai's, pushing her back.

"My dear Kaidana, we traveled with you during the Blight; we knew to tell them all. Even Jarren and Gnat have been educated on darkspawn now. You really must worry about yourself, sometimes, and not everyone else." She felt Zev put his face in her hair.

She flushed and bit her lip. "Sorry." Morrigan only smiled wider at her and shook her head.

"'Tis your way, sister. I should go and inform the others that you are well. How long before the new weapon will be ready? The others will want to see you in the flesh before they are comforted, no matter what I say." Morrigan huffed.

"The smith said maybe two more days. Not only is he good, but he is fast. He was impressed with our dear friend's sketches which he said helped speed the process. He will also do the repairs. I would say maybe four days and half of one to travel, no?" Zev smiled at Morrigan as she rose, kissed Kai on the cheek and went to the door.

"Fah, this foolish inn with its rooms dug into the hill. A window would be welcome." The witch sighed. "I shall go and inform the others. Try to keep her out of trouble." Morrigan smiled and turned to walk out the door, stopping when she reached it. "And speaking of trouble, sister, I do not trust this 'Gnat.' 'Twould be prudent to watch her more closely. An Orlesian who is obviously new to Ferelden in the inn you and some of your Scath frequent?" The witch shrugged. "But then, I have always been a wary soul. I love you, sister." And then she walked out the door closing it behind her.

"Our deliciously dangerous witch is correct. She is more than what she says, not that she has said much. Now sleep, my dear friend." And Zev got up to put out the mage rune lights before he slipped back under the covers to wrap her in his arms.

_She was standing in the garden at Highever, and she felt him before seeing him, as always. She realized her nightmare Alistair was nothing but a wooden cut out in comparison, no matter how real her fear had made it seem at the time. She spun around and ran to him, burying her head in his broad chest as his arms came around her. "Oh Ali, I hate darkspawn so much! They frighten me so. They always did, but you there fighting with me made it tolerable." Anything else she was going to say was lost in sobs._

"_I know mi' gra, my beloved, I know." He just held her, stroking her back and kissing her hair._

"_I am so sorry if I scared you again. Thanks for getting Morrigan. I can be such a damn burden to everyone! I hate that." Kai found herself sobbing harder. _

_Alistair lifted her chin. "You are not a burden. You are the one with the burdens. We are all just trying to make them easier for you. You can't help that sometimes you get knocked around or hurt, as much as it scares the rest of us. Did you find it a burden to take care of any of us when we got hurt during the Blight? Did you find it a burden to rescue and take care of Zev?"_

"_Well, no, of course not. I would do anything for any of you. They and you are my family, my heart." Kai looked into his gray eyes._

"_Well, it is the same for us. You can't help that we worry about you. It comes with the caring about you, the loving you, part. At least I could do something this time. I could grab witchy-poo." He grinned. "I do have to admit I get a certain kick out of interrupting her dreams and waking her up. Though, the dream she was involved in this time had your brother Fergus in it." Alistair laughed as he sing songed 'Fergus'._

_Kai laughed. "Really? I think they were snogging in a corner of Highever's Great Hall a few nights ago. I wonder if I should bust Fergus's chops just a little." And it struck her that Alistair had done it once again. He had raised her spirits and made her laugh. He was truly the amazing one, not her. She reached up to put her lips to his as the dream world melted away._

"I really hate when that happens," she told him in her head. "I love you so very much."

"Me too, my beloved. Love you too." She felt his smile.

She sighed and rubbed her eyes. Zev wasn't there, and she had no idea what time it was. The rooms to The Spoiled Princess were dug by dwarven engineers into the hill behind the wooden front rooms of the inn. All the rooms were spacious and lit by magic rune stones like those used in carriages and at the Circle Tower. It was a clever use of space. Even the tubs in the rooms were sunk into the floor. There was no need for fireplaces as the rooms stayed the same temperature no matter the season. It also meant no sunlight to gauge time. Kai walked towards the softly glowing switch on the wall to make the room light up.

This inn was so amazing. Kai hoped that when all this business with Anora was done, her plans to free the mages would draw more people to stay here visiting their relatives at the Tower and would encourage traders to visit here. It was one of many long term goals she had for Ferelden. If she survived long enough, that is. She groaned as she sat herself on the edge of the bed. She felt like one big bruise. She was tender everywhere, but she had felt worse. So, she got herself up, gingerly tested her balance and got dressed.

She was just making her way down the stone hallway headed toward the junction with the hallway leading to the doorway and stairs to the common room when she heard a woman's voice and Zev's reply.

Kai snuck a look around the corner to find Zev leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one leg bent, foot resting on the wall in a casual pose. However, Kai had known him a long time; there was a certain tension in his pose which meant his assassin training was working. The female turned out to be Gnat who was practically plastered to Zev while she ran a hand down his arm and stood on her tip toes, curving her pretty neck back as she looked him in the eyes. Hers was a seductive pose meant to show off that skin, the graceful neck and to invite him to kiss those lips. Kai had seen Leliana use that trick before. Kai ducked back behind the corner and listened.

"I am new to Ferelden, and what do I find but a very handsome elven man sitting in a little inn in the middle of nowhere in a country that smells like wet dogs and rotting garbage. My luck is starting to look up, I think." Gnat's voice was pitched low and practically purred. It sounded like velvet with her Orlesian accent. "I have heard so many stories and rumors since I arrived here, I don't know which ones are true. I could use help in making my way around, knowing what not to do and what not to say to these Fereldans. They can be so touchy. You saw what problems I had last night." Kai peeked around the corner again to see the exotic girl blinking those big, dark, iolite eyes at Zev's amber ones.

"Oh, my lovely friend, I am flattered. But from my accent, you can tell I am also a stranger to this land. I hale from beautiful Antiva City. What could I possibly tell you?" Zev reached out a hand and wrapped some of Gnat's long, white-blonde curls around his nimble fingers, lifting them to his nose as Gnat leaned in even closer.

"Are we friends then, Zevran?" Gnat smiled at him, those pink lips getting closer to his.

"Oh si, my dear. But again, pet, what could I tell you that you don't already know? These Fereldans are not a complicated people. Not like Antivans or Orlesians. They are simple, their tastes are simple. They value honor above all else, besides their dogs. Don't insult the Mabari, and you should be fine." Zev kissed the silvery tress he held and smiled. "As to last night, it seems you are well able to take care of yourself, no?"

"True, but I have heard rumors of the Blight and the dead Grey Wardens, which are frightening enough. But I have heard another name I do not understand; my Ferelden is, how you say, poor? I am not sure I heard it correctly. In Orlesian it would be...um...Greif Argent, but I do not know if this is correct. And what I heard is this person is a bandit, stealing from the Crown and the nobles. I do not wish to run afoul of another, more powerful thief, no?" Gnat leaned in even closer, her lips a hair's breadth away from Zev's. Zev's hand reached out to stroke her cheek and then down the girl's throat, as if he were going to pull her in for a kiss.

It happened in a blink. Zev's hand had grabbed Gnat under the chin, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around to pin her to the wall while the other hand held one of his daggers to her heart. "I trust, my dear Kai, you heard everything?"

"I certainly did. My Orlesian is, how you say, poor?" Kai used Gnat's own words in a mocking fake Orlesian accent. "Our little _friend_ here is asking after 'The Silver Griffon.' Now isn't that interesting?" Kai walked up, patted the girl down and removed all her weapons, including the well hidden ones. "By the by, my dear. If he really were your friend, he would have told you to call him 'Zev.'" Kai just smiled at him. "I think we all need to have a little private chat."


	57. Chapter 58

**BioWare owns all except etc., etc., etc.. : )**

_For those of you who play WoW, you will understand my little joke. For those who don't, **smacks self in the back of the head**, there. : ) GOOD NEWS EVERYONE, I fixed the broken slime pipes! Oh wait, no, the good news is hubby is doing his play through on his other characters, delaying my playing the expansion, which works for me, because I am totally addicted to writing this story. LOL! To tell you how bad it is, my office manager is at home, so I take a notebook and write parts of chapters at work. I write copious notes, and I do research and write it down too. Then I read and edit at work when there is down time. And I jot down chapter ideas. Mostly during my lunch break. Then I come home, I throw something together for dinner, feed the cats, and sit down to write. My house plants almost died because I forgot to check on them and they needed watering. ROFL. So, I am sure there is some kind of mental illness that hasn't been named regarding my addiction to my own story. I am a psychological paper in the making! : ) There you have it fans, E is nuts! But you probably guessed that by now, right? So on with the show!_

_Kai is not going to be down and out for days or weeks for once, though she is not at her 'A' game and is a little on the weak side. And our little Gnat turns out to be a biting insect to ogres, and someone asking about things she shouldn't. So what are her motivations? And what kind of person is she really? Good, bad? How would she react to the suffering of others? I reveal more about our little addition in this next chapter. Oh, and while I found this uncensored French dictionary for the cuss words, I apologize in advance to any actual French speakers. I know Greif is really the German word for Griffon which is French, but I wanted a foreign word there, and it fit. My German is better than my French. If you want to offer me help, if I screwed anything up in French really badly, please let me know so I can fix it. : )_

_A shout out to Night Hunter MGS! As Phoenix Fire Lady said, you deserve a big one my clever friend. And a cross continental hug back at ya! : ) You really do read my mind, I swear. Oh, and NH MGS, there will be more Fergus/Morrigan. ; )_

_SPOILER alert, for those who may not have done Return to Ostagar yet. I mention some things from it that are revealed by opening Cailan's chest. Just FYI. : )_

_Again, thanks for all the inspiration from your reviews. You all just make this so much fun. Lisette57 thank you so much, sweetie, for your comments about my story and the new expansion. Wow! And I was worried that the expansion would kind of ruin this for ya. And no worries about reading 55 early. I just wanted to make sure you all got the news that I had really worked harder on it. I want you all to have my best, you deserve it, and I hadn't given it. So, I beg your indulgence and wanted to let you know to give it another go. Misame thanks for the love of my author's notes and your review too. I am humbled really, guys. I know I say it all the time, but I appreciate everyone of you. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Zevran set Gnat down on her feet; the girl rubbed her neck where his hand had squeezed and coughed. He and Kai walked her back to their room, where Kai closed and locked the door behind them after turning on the mage runes. Zev kept Gnat at knife point while sitting her down in a chair.

"Well, well, you are new to this country and yet you ask about 'The Silver Griffon.' Now why would that be?" Kai gave Gnat a cold little smile. "Surely you are smart enough to know better. Unless you had some plan maybe on getting the bounty?" Gnat just stared at her, her face impassive. "Perhaps you didn't catch it when you were so busy flirting with him to get information, but my friend mentioned he is Antivan, no? And unless you have been living under a rock or are a Fereldan, then you might want to consider what that means. Shall I give you another hint? He is really good with his daggers and is a master with poisons." Kai smiled again.

Gnat's eyes widened, and she stole a look at Zev who gave her his cold, assassin smile. "You know, my beautiful Kaidana, there are some poisons the Crows use that do not kill right away. They take time, but while they are working their way through a person's system, they loosen her tongue." He chuckled a low in his throat. "People will tell you all their secrets before they die, in agony; they break all their confidences." He looked at Kai. "Maybe we need to use one of them on this little elven piece?" Kai shrugged and nodded, drawing her own dagger and holding it on Gnat.

Zevran went to a chest to get the leather bag filled with his vials and bottles. He came back and emptied it out on the table in front of Gnat, making a show of perusing the bottles and vials. He picked up some, opening them to sniff gently and putting the corks back in while shaking his head. Kai suppressed a smile; she knew he knew each and every bottle by touch alone. This was all for Gnat's benefit. Finally, he found the one he wanted and took the cork out, carefully placing it on the table. He took a small needle tied to a bundle of string and dipped it in the bottle, before placing the cork back in. He walked towards Gnat holding out the needle, and despite her best efforts, the girl's eyes got big, and she squirmed in her chair. To her credit, she waited until Zev got close enough to prick her before she broke.

"Merde! Fine, I will get the money some other way. It will take longer by picking pockets, but it isn't worth dying over! Stop!" Gnat was leaning as far back as she could, away from Zev and his needle. Kai nodded to Zev, who proceeded to lick the end of the needle and shrug.

"Honey, it makes some poisons easier to administer without notice. It covers the bitter taste. We always have some in our arsenal." He gave a full throated laugh.

"Putain de merde! You...you tricked me! Moliffi! You and your...your pouffiasse va t'faire enculer chez le darkspawn!" Gnat's eyes, normally dark blue purple, had become almost lavender in her fury. She turned them on Kai. "Vache!"

"Well, when she is angry, her language skills definitely take a turn for the gutter." Kai laughed. "My poor Orlesian at least includes the more colorful phrases. I believe, my dear Zev, you are a bastard, and I am a bitch _and _a cow. And basically we can both go get buggered up the arse by the darkspawn." She grinned at him.

"But I am no bastard, I have a birth certificate that names my father." Zev put on a mock hurt tone. "Now if she had called me the son of a whore, she would have at least been correct, no?" He grinned back.

"True, my dear friend, very true." Kai stopped smiling and grabbed Gnat by the chin. "So why, exactly, are you trying to get the bounty? Think carefully before you answer. I would prefer the truth. This is your second chance." Kai let the abyss surface in her eyes. "Don't expect a third."

"Bah, I wanted to go home! That is all! I came to this smelly, Maker forsaken country to find the Grey Wardens here. I wanted to join!" Gnat's iolite eyes were wide. "When I got here, I found they were no more. I needed money to go home. Cutting purses takes time, especially in a country so poor. I saw the bounty being offered on the Chantry board. I thought to make some quick coin to book passage back home, with extra for my trouble. It would allow me to eat and stay warm this Winter."

"Why didn't you just join the Grey in Orlais?" Kai kept her eyes on Gnat's.

"Connards, all of them! I tried to join there. They looked at me and turned me away! They only glanced at my face and my body. They made a judgment based on my looks and not on what I can do. They told me to go and be a putain for some nobleman. They said that was all I was good for. I know what I can do, why should I not have a chance to prove it? I do not want to spend another Winter eating broth made by boiling leather while I try not to lose my fingers to frostbite. I heard rumors that there were Grey Wardens in Ferelden. I took a gamble and spent what I had to get here to find them. And when I did, it was to find a country poor as can be and to hear that the Grey Wardens, all two of them, were dead." Gnat shrugged. "My heart sank, I will not lie. I thought, ah Gnat, you will starve drinking soup made from boiled leather in a country colder than Orlais. And you will lose your fingers _and_ your toes, and all for a rumor. Then I saw the Chantry board. It had a bounty for a master thief called 'The Silver Griffon.' Le reine, Anora, she is very interested in getting this 'greif', this 'griffon.' She is paying very well for the privilege of having the man's head decorate the castle wall in Denerim." Gnat looked at her from under delicately lashed eyelids, like a small and wayward child.

Kai clapped her hands slowly in mock applause at Gnat. "First, you may drop the use of your small stature to give the impression of being a child. I watched you fight. A child you are not." Kai smiled sweetly at Gnat. "As to your story, oh it's very good, very inspiring indeed. Just enough detail to be plausible with just a hint of 'pity me' affected past history to pull at the heart strings. Truly a work of art, don't you think Zev?"

"Oh si, most impressive this one." Zev jerked a thumb at Gnat and grinned at Kai.

"I mean I always knew the bards of Orlais were most talented at singing, spying, killing and the spinning of tales. But this is truly a masterpiece of fiction!" Kai smirked at Gnat as she circled the chair where the girl sat.

"And just enough hints of truth to be believable to most." Zev chuckled. "Growing up an orphan, I would say, is true. And spending her formative years on the streets of Val Royeaux as a cutpurse is also true. Thief, si. Killer? Of that I have no doubt. Bards are meant to be spies, but spies sometimes need to kill too, no? I am sure this one has had her hands dirty before. It is especially obvious by the way she fought the darkspawn." Zev ran his dagger lightly down the front of Gnat's armor, stopping with the point right over her heart.

"Well, well, well. I wonder who would need a spy from Orlais? Anora maybe? I mean, she does not hold the hatred for Orlais her father did. Or maybe Bann Loren didn't get 'The Griffon's' message the last time? Or one of Anora's other sycophants is trying to curry favor with her? Or some other sinister shadow has come into play? So which is it, I wonder?" Kai bent down to whisper in Gnat's ear from behind. "I told you the truth was what I sought; now you are out of second chances."

Kai walked around and looked at Gnat, whose face had become a neutral mask. Only a slight crimping of the corners of her pretty mouth showed annoyance. Interesting, annoyance at herself, or them for discovering her true nature, or both? But no fear. Kai walked over to the table with the vials and bottles of Zev's potions. "Well, if you aren't going to cooperate, then I am afraid we have no further business with you. Zev, pick one" Kai gestured at the table. "Pick your favorite."

"Oh, that is difficult, my dear friend. That is like asking me to choose one from among a roomful of beautiful women. All are equally lovely, but with different skills and talents." Zev looked over at the table. "The green bottle. It holds 'Andraste's Blade.' I think it will do nicely."

"Good choice. Though I might have gone with 'Death's Grace, or 'Crown of Flames' myself." Kai smiled and grabbed the green bottle. "But you are the professional assassin." She carefully uncorked the bottle, put one drop on one side of the blade and used a little brush amongst the pile to tease the poison along the edge of the blade. She repeated the process for the other side. "Do you want to do the honors, or shall I?" Kai walked over to Zev. "Luckily, she is small; we can roll her up in the small rug in front of the bath to dispose of her body. Where should we dump it, though?"

"I am thinking we should take a boat and dump it out in the lake. We can weigh it down with stones, but I suspect some of the nasty creatures in the lake will take care of it before it has a chance to float." Zev smiled at her.

Gnat sighed. "Very well, you have exposed me. I am a bard from Orlais, and before you give a smart arsed answer, I know you know. I am not here on behalf of anyone in Ferelden. But I am here on behalf of someone very powerful in Orlais. Someone who was working out a deal with your King Cailan before he was killed. Someone who has bards in many places with ears put to many doors and eyes peeking through many keyholes. This person heard rumors about Loghain and his treachery regarding Cailan. This person heard about the death of the Grey here, the death of 'The Hero of Ferelden.' When Anora shut down any communication with the royal court of Orlais and refused any offers for the Grey there to come here, my employer became more suspicious." Gnat gestured with her hands.

"Then, news came to my employer's bards in Tevinter where it was reported that two ships which were here on business with Anora had been scuttled. It was said that most of the mages and soldiers had been killed by a group working for a mysterious person going by the name 'The Silver Griffon.' All cargo and money had been stripped from them. The work was apparently done by a group of shadows who disappeared like smoke, allowing only a few to escape with their lives. And still more rumors flowed in. Elves from the alienage in Val Royeaux had snuck across to their fellows in Denerim to have a wedding and to trade. They talked of a whole army of soldiers disappearing without a trace. And then there were rumors that our bards heard in Antiva City; the city was like a bee hive that had been kicked over. Oh, it would have looked normal to all the citizens, but the conspiracy mongers in the dark dens of depravity that abound in Antiva City, they were all talking."

"Ah, such lovely places those dens, and such good places to get information. If one is willing to sift through the manure to gather the gems there." Zev laughed. "That and put up with the lunatics, of which there are many."

Gnat nodded. "That is very true. But what gems we found! There was talk of a foreigner usurping a whole cell of Crows. And that the death of the noble who had owned that cell was connected to that act. There was buzzing about Antiva almost collapsing as a world power, all because of one outlander Fereldan. And then came the sudden death of another noble who ran a cell of Crows, which would not have been remarkable as such things happen amongst Antivan nobles all the time. But this noble happened to be the mother of the one whose cell had been taken over. The dissolution of her house and the dispersing of her Crows and the power amassed by House Serracino – all such amazing developments, no? And all roads led back to Ferelden. Back to this little, barbaric country that had been recovering from its previous occupation, then a Blight, and is now saddled with Anora. My employer became intrigued. How do you say? The enemy of my enemy is my friend? My employer wants to hurt Anora and see her usurped as much as it seems this 'griffon' does. I have been sent here to find 'The Silver Griffon' and to offer my employer's money and power. To offer an alliance, under contract of course, and to offer my knowledge and my talents as well."

"The only person in Orlais that I know of who had a deal with Cailan before he was killed would be one Celene, your impèratrice, your empress, no?" Kai smiled when Gnat's eyes got wide in surprise. "You see, I am one of the ones who found the papers and letters between them."

"But to do that, you would have had to kill more darkspawn, large groups of them. Larger than what we faced here and under the control of the archdemon." Gnat's eyebrows shot up. "To do that you would have to be a..."

"A Grey Warden. My, but you are a clever girl." Kai gave her a cold smile. "But clever or no, I don't believe you. You have lied too effectively one too many times. I really hate killing, but like you, I am good at it, and I do it if I have to. Put her in the tub, we can drain and wash out any blood. I hate a mess. I will make it as quick as possible." Kai grimaced.

"Wait! I have proof what I say is true. My boot, on the right. Twist the heel, it is a hollow compartment. There are papers there." Zev went and stood behind her, his dagger at her throat. Gnat stuck out her boot, and Kai knelt and twisted the heel. It came away with a slight pop and inside was parchment folded down to fit the concealed compartment. Kai was already planning on using this device for her Scath. Leli apparently had been wearing too many pretty little shoes while working as a bard to ever use this trick. Kai unfolded the papers. One was a letter, the other two were contracts, both signed and with the official seal of Orlais and the personal family seal of one Empress Celene.

_To The Silver Griffon,_

_I, Celene, Empress of Orlais would like to extend my help to you in unseating Anora. What my country did to yours was unspeakable, and there is no excuse. Meghren was a monster, a self-centered, cruel man-child. He deserved to die. My uncle, who put him in power, was no better._

_I worked very hard to take the crown of Orlais, avoiding my own death twice, to right the wrongs if I could. It was this desire that led to the correspondence between Cailan and me. And it was these letters which led to my falling in love with him. I think he was fond of me too. Cailan loved Anora, but she frightened him. It wasn't just that she produced no heirs, for if that were the case, he would have put her aside long ago. Rather, she has always had a kind of darkness in her stemming from her father's treatment of her and her mother. Cailan spoke of such things to me when we met in secret the only time we had the opportunity to do so before the Blight._

_I had hoped to help unite our countries after the Blight was over. But more than that, I wanted him. Now, he is dead due to that woman's treacherous and traitorous father, and your country is once again besieged from the inside by poverty and a petty tyrant. I think Cailan would have wanted me to help you stop her. He loved her, but he loved Ferelden more._

_I know that my being Orlesian makes me suspect in your Fereldan eyes. And I know not if any of Cailan's papers or letters to do with our communication survived his death. So, I now offer you a contract, signed by me with both the seal of Orlais and my personal seal. One copy for you, one for me, to show that I mean what I say. If these contracts or this letter fell into Anora's hands, it would mean war between our two countries again. I hope this further allays any concerns you may have. Also, the bard who carries these papers is a very special friend. One I hold dear. She has agreed to stay as your collateral, should I prove false. I hope that she has found you safe and healthy._

_If you sign the contracts and put your seal on them, she will know how to get my copy to me. I hope to hold it in my hands. And I hope to help you stop Anora any way that I can. Cailan and your country deserve that, and so much more._

_Empress Celene I of Orlais_

Kai raised an eyebrow and handed the letter to Zevran. "Well, it seems we have yet another powerful, how do you say in Orlais, ami?" Kai laughed. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend indeed."


	58. Chapter 59

**BioWare owns all but etc., etc., etc.. LOL! : )**

_Oh, no worries, all, about me not playing the expansion. I am, just did Vigil. Got my Anders (hubba hubba), got my Oghren and talked bitchy to Anora, which was very enjoyable. Boy, do I hate that chick and not just because of my story. ROFL! I get to share it with hubby. Which is good, I am not good at sitting for a really long time playing without breaks. I reach a limit and need a breather before I go back to it. Sharing with hubby where we trade-off who is playing is great, since I still get to play and I get to work on chapters. So win-win for me! And hopefully a win-win for you all too! : ) Even if they are a little slower._

_So, our little Gnat is an envoy for one Empress Celene I of Orlais, and more. Celene holds Gnat's life as important to her. How and why? More will be revealed. And as Night Hunter MGS said, Kai seems to be uniting all of Thedas, power is sexy. : ) Except for Tevinter, but those guys are people sacrificing jerks and don't count. Not to mention their weird Divine Father version of the Chantry when the Divine Mother is bad enough. So, no one likes them anyways, bunch of ass hats. LOL. So we get more of Gnat's story and why she is so important to Celene. So, great call Night Hunter MGS! : ) And actually, I think you are right my friend. I read your mind. Could that be considered ghost writing? And really, you are that damn good. But what I really think is that you have impeccable timing. Better than mine, so I have the ideas kicking around in my head, but you seem do know when they should be put down, besides being that damn good. : ) I bow to you, my clever friend, and all of you who have made this story what it is. : )_

_And a shout out to Phoenix Fire Lady too for some inspiration for Kai and Zev. : ) A little clearing up between them of their relationship and a deeper solidification of their bond, which I had in mind, but your musings add some spice to the story. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Because a little conflict never hurts the old sexy stuff, only revs it up, yes? : ) And now I am reading your mind too PFL? Oh my. I need to learn to sell my telepathic powers and make some money. I won't spoil anything, but your review will give you more shout outs in the future. I am just glad that I am able to convey my ideas in an entertaining way and well enough that you all can follow along, as well as guess the possibilities of what is coming next. Or is knowing where I am going, too pedestrian? Too predictable? I hope not._

_As with every chapter, my personal thanks to all of you. What wonderful fans you all are. My thanks to those who put my story on favs, author, and story alerts. And special hugs and kisses to those who continue to take time out of their busy lives to review. You make my day, my week, my month. Really couldn't do this without you all. You are all my beta readers. And thanks Lisette57 for saying it is worth waiting for, and everyone who has told me that. You guys make me blush. I have the best, brightest, and smartest fans. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai handed the letter and the contracts to Zev. "You can let her up now. She finally speaks the truth, and what a twisted labyrinth it was just to get to it, bloody bards." Kai grinned at Gnat to take any sting out of her words. "She really made us work for it. And I thought Crows were the only slick ones." Gnat grinned back and snapped the heel of her boot back into place.

Zevran chuckled at her. "You wound me, my dear friend! Of course, _you _Fereldans are plain speakers and straight to the point. You have not learned the art of word craft." Kai grinned at him and gave her hand to Gnat, pulling her out of her chair.

"I don't know about you two, but I am famished. Almost dying by ogre and that fever from the health potion has left my stomach chewing on my backbone," Kai lamented. "Not to mention playing psychotic interrogator as well."

"I meant to thank you for pushing me out of the way of the ogre. I admit, I have never fought one before; I did not know how fast something that large could move. I am sorry you were injured because of me." Gnat's creamy skin flushed.

"I couldn't let the ogre make you shorter, you're are already small enough." Kai grinned at her and gave the girl's hand a little shake. "Though you were impressive in fighting the darkspawn. If you ever did want to be a Grey Warden, they would gladly recruit you. Though _they_ would be _me_, I suppose, as the Warden-Commander of Ferelden. So, let me know if you ever honestly want to Join." Kai chuckled.

"I think being a bard is enough for now, though I am flattered. The Grey are a worthy group." Gnat grinned back at her.

"I shall go and see to getting food and drink sent to the room. I will also check on Argus, who has been banished to the stables as he is a bit ripe, and make sure he is fed. One of the servants here offered to bathe him. I agreed, but we need to make sure he does not take off the poor man's face. And Wynne arrived here while you slept, my dear Kai. She is in her own room sleeping after a long journey. Our delectable witch friend stopped her on the road to tell her you were well." Zev grinned at both of them, gave a salute and walked out, shutting the door behind him. Kai noticed Gnat's eyes lingering on the door a few seconds after Zev had left, and the look gave Kai an uncomfortable twinge.

Then Gnat turned back to her. "So, you and he work for this 'griffon' I take it?"

"You could say that." And Kai went on to explain about 'The Silver Griffon,' and the Scath and about what they were attempting to do. She filled in the details of the stories Gnat had heard about the soldiers' disappearances, the Tevinters and the Crows. Kai left nothing out, and the tale was quite lengthy. It left her wondering just how big the book of Leliana's songs on her adventures was going to be. She shuddered to think on it.

Gnat's dark eyes got bigger. "You mean to say _you_ are the one who did all those things?"

"Well, I didn't do them alone. I have a lot of talented help. Zevran, Oghren, Jarren, Morrigan, my Mabari Argus, all of whom you met. I have others who are helping me too. You will meet them later. And, I have my own group of spies and assassins, the ones that 'disappeared like smoke,' as you said. I guess you could say I am the organizer of it all." Kai shrugged.

"Don't let her fool you, Gnat. We are only as good this woman who leads us." Zev's voice came from the doorway as he entered the room followed by some of the inn's day staff with food on trays and pitchers with cups. They set it all down on the table in the room and left. "She has taken a group of people with different vocations, disciplines and personalities and brought us all together into a cohesive group. She really is quite amazing." Zev grinned, and Kai felt herself blushing.

"Well, why don't we sit and eat, and Gnat can tell us how she came to be such a good friend of the Empress of Orlais." Kai walked quickly over to the table and sat down in the hopes of changing the subject. Gnat and Zev followed and seated themselves. "So, what is your story Gnat?" Kai asked as she broke off a piece of bread, buttered it and dribbled honey on top.

"I did, as you surmise, grow up on the streets after my parents were killed by Chevaliers for simply being elven and getting in their way. I was only six years old. Even at six, I wanted justice, I wanted someone to do something. But the elves in the alienage, they shook their heads and told me to learn to live with it. They told me that we are the lowest of the low and to accept it." Gnat's hands clenched into fists. "Bah! I accepted that they were a bunch of chatte whipped people who would lick the hands of those who beat them, just like any cur. And as quickly as they could too. I ran away. If I died on the streets, at least I was free, yes? It was a miserable existence. I lived off of stolen clothes and rotting garbage. I spent more days hungry than I care to remember and even more nights cold, hungry and afraid. I had to fight other children and even adults for the least rotted foods or best places to sleep. It is an animal's existence. I think it is partly why I did not grow much, food being what it was. Then, Madoyne found me when I was eight. She was the leader of a den of thieves, including a lot of orphaned children. She found me, took me in, trained me. She loved us, taught us to read and write, taught us to respect ourselves and each other. She gave us a place, the outcasts of a society that forgot us, or tried to." Gnat looked down at her plate. Clearly it was a sad memory.

"What happened to her?" Kai asked her softly.

"One of her orphans, one I grew up with, betrayed her to the Chevalier and the Chantry. He did it to get money and power and curry favor with our body politic. He wanted more, thought he deserved more." Gnat's face became fierce.

"Sounds like the man who killed my parents." Kai gave Gnat's hand a little sympathetic tug. "When I confronted him, his dying breath was spent saying he deserved more."

"I was sixteen then, a master thief and cutpurse. I watched as they brought her out from the dungeons to the chantry steps to display her. It was obvious they had raped and tortured her. I watched while they broke her hands with a mallet and cut out her tongue in front of everyone. They threw her down the steps to lie in a puddle of filth. I had to leave her there until nightfall, when no one could see me, to fetch her. She was still alive, though I know not how. She scratched with her foot in the dirt two words, 'kill me.' And so I did. I stuck my blade between her ribs into her heart. She gave me such a look of love and gratitude. I tracked the one who did it; I killed him _slowly_." Gnat's eyes had become a dark blue, so dark they were almost black. One lone tear made its way down her cheek. Kai doubted she even knew it was there. Or if she did, she was ignoring it. Zev put a hand out and wiped it away. Gnat smiled at him. Again, Kai felt that twinge, of what, jealousy? She huffed mentally into her own head.

"So how did you go from thief and cutpurse to bard and close friend of the most powerful person in Orlais?" Zev smiled at Gnat, while handing Kai a peach that he had cut up. Kai took it but watched his face as he watched Gnat, wondering at herself and her uncomfortable thoughts.

"Well, she wasn't the most powerful person in Orlais when I met her. And I use the word 'meet' in the loosest sense of the word. Celene is a good person. Her uncle, the former emperor of Orlais, and her cousin Meghren were not good people, as you all know. Meghren, your country had direct experience with, yes?" Gnat glanced at Kai. "But the emperor was just as bad. Meghren was his lover and displeased him. As punishment he was sent to the 'backwater' kingdom of Ferelden to rule it. Celene always hated her uncle and his actions. He was a spoiled man, petty and cruel. Meghren and he were cut from the same cloth. Celene hated what her uncle and Meghren had done to Orlais and Ferelden. When I met her, she was trying to take the crown. She was fourth in line to get the throne if the emperor should fall."

"I had heard that she arranged for his untimely demise. And that she outmaneuvered three older cousins to take the throne." Zev grinned. "If this is true, then Orlesian politics are just as messy and dangerous as Antivan politics."

"Oui, they are 'The Great Game,' which is not so great. And it is very dangerous for anything labeled with a name as innocuous as the word 'game.' Celene has never confirmed to me the rumor that she indeed had his life cut short, though she would if I asked. For her safety, should I ever be caught or tortured, I do not ask that question of her. But I would not blame her if she did.

"I had heard that before he died, her uncle was planning on invading Ferelden once again, to crush it once and for all. He planned on selling the citizenry to Tevinter as slaves and repopulating Ferelden with Orlesians. It was to be partially as revenge for Meghren and also for the embarrassment to Orlais. All I know is that he died and there were three cousins fighting each other over the throne. She was only seventeen when she put in her bid to rule. She managed to outmaneuver two of the cousins, but the third was far more cunning and dangerous. He hired bards to eliminate her on two separate occasions.

"I met her when the first attempt was made. She was in the market. I was picking pockets. I was thinking of taking her purse. She did not warrant as much protection back then. She only had two guards, and I did not know who she was. As I drew near her, I noticed a man dressed like a beggar with one arm and a rag over one eye. He was holding a begging bowl, his one arm holding it close to his body. Because of my height, I saw what the others did not. His other arm was not missing, but his hand under the bowl held a very small dagger. I knew it had to be poisoned. Celene was about to put coins into his bowl, getting close enough to get scratched. I pushed her away from him, knocked the bowl out of his hand, and grabbed his 'missing arm' revealing the dagger he held. It was a good thing I am quick or her guards would have killed me on the spot. When they confirmed what he had been about, they gave the man to the Chevalier. Then, she took me to her home. She fed me, gave me pretty clothes to wear, and we talked all through the night. I never left.

"Have you ever met a person and felt as if you had known them all your life? Well, Celene and I are sisters of the heart. From then on, I was her personal confidant and her guard. Celene sent me off to be trained by one of the best bards in Orlais. I also spent time learning from the acrobats who perform shows for the nobles. I learned to be more flexible, to roll, to tumble, to climb. I learned how to spy and to assassinate. My skills as a cutpurse and thief were built upon. The second attempt on her life went no better than the first. I killed them easily. And her cousin, well, he died suddenly and tragically. And at such a young age, too." Gnat shrugged and grinned. "Poor man died in my arms, in fact – so sad."

Zevran laughed, and even Kai had to chuckle.

"When she took the throne, Celene began changing the way politics work in Orlais. She felt she needed to clean up at home first. When she had, she started to correspond with your King Cailan. She wanted to make amends, to seal a lasting peace between Orlais and Ferelden. Celene's father does not approve of this at all, but that does not stop my lady. My lady, ce est formidable, no?

"Cailan also felt that the trouble with Orlais should be left in the past, that they should look to the future. Their letters became more personal. She told me she fell in love with him when they finally met in person. It was a very brief meeting, only a few hours. She told me he was funny, kind, brave and thoughtful. They discussed Cailan's setting Anora aside to marry Celene and produce an heir, or heirs, of both their bloodlines. This would tie the two countries together better than any treaty on paper. And they discussed the Blight that both she and Cailan knew would be coming. He told her that his father Maric had been told there would be one and he wouldn't live to see it. Cailan didn't want to panic the people."

"One of her letters mentioned that her Warden-Commander told her it was a Blight and that it threatened both our countries. I saw that Celene felt the way Cailan had, that our unhappy history was just that, history. And speaking of Maric, I believe he would have agreed with Cailan. Maric was a forgiving soul. It was Loghain who was not." Kai shrugged. "In fact I believe, no matter how Loghain tried to convince himself otherwise, that part of the reason he quit the field was to execute Cailan for what Loghain saw as treason. He judged Cailan guilty of seeking aid from our former enemy, thereby laying Ferelden open for another Orlesian occupation."

"You did not get to ask him?" Gnat raised her eyebrow.

"He would have just denied it. I think there was a part of him that could not believe he had let his best friend's son and his king die. He could not face it, no matter how he justified it. I had heard he had taken to drinking heavily. And Alistair, the only other Ferelden Grey Warden, fought him in a duel and summarily beheaded him. So, even if I had thought he would answer truthfully in the end, it is rather hard to get a dismembered head to talk." Kai gave Gnat a wan smile.

"Is he the Warden who died killing the Archdemon?" Gnat looked at Kai, who found herself with a catch in her throat. Still, it affected her this way.

"Ah, mi' gra." Alistair's voice spoke softly in her ear.

"Can't help it, beloved, it still hurts." Kai gave him a small smile.

Out loud, Kai replied, "Yes, and now we have Anora to deal with. She has turned out to be worse than her father and the Blight put together." Kai grimaced. "And lucky you. You find yourself right in the middle of it with us."

Gnat laughed. "Well, I am just glad I found you at last. I had been losing hope. No one seemed to know how to find 'The Silver Griffon.' And being Orlesian and elven didn't help, as people were suspicious."

"Yes, I apologize for that. I am afraid along with everything else we need to work on rebuilding, the rebuilding of the intangible things will be the hardest." Kai laughed. "Well, Zev, Jarren and I were all going to visit the small town here and deliver some food, money and goods, courtesy of 'The Silver Griffon.' Would you like to join us?"

"Oui, I will get into my armor and meet you and Zevran in the common room, yes?" Gnat smiled at them. Kai nodded.

"Call me 'Zev,' my dear. That is what my friends call me after all." He grinned at Gnat, and she blushed.

"Then I will meet you and _Zev_ in the common room in a few minutes." Gnat smiled and left the room. Again, Kai felt that twinge.

"So, our tiny friend dropped quite a pretty little bombshell on us, no?" Zev grinned at her. Kai just nodded, lost in her own very uncomfortable inner landscape. Zev gave her a look. "What is going on in that head of yours, my dear friend?"

"I don't know; you seemed very friendly towards her." Kai shrugged and blushed.

"I am not sure I understand what you mean." Zev stared at her, not blinking.

"Nothing, I don't mean anything by it, really." Kai felt herself blushing more and wanted to end the conversation. So, she got up and went to the chest to get her own armor.

"You are jealous." Zevran continued to stare at her.

"No...I...well, yes." _Great way to speak in complete sentences, Kai._ Kai felt herself flushing harder.

"And why should you be jealous? If anyone should be jealous, it should be I, should it not?" Zev's voice was quiet.

Kai bit her lower lip. She was ashamed. He was right. She should have known that it wouldn't work. If she needed someone to...well...be physical with, she should just go to The Pearl. "You are right, Zev. What happened with us was not planned, I swear on my parents' honor. I don't ever want you to feel like, what was it you said to me? Like an Antivan whore to pleasure me and kill for me? You are not that, not now, not ever!" She clenched her fists. Maker, this was so hard for her to talk about; Fereldans just didn't talk about sex. She thought her ears would catch on fire, they were burning so badly, but she pressed on. "And I won't have you put in that position. What happened between us was due to...well...pent up emotions and not having physical relations with anyone in a long time. We can just leave it at that. You are my best friend, and I won't ruin it again. Your friendship means more to me than anything. I have no other claim on you, and we have not pledged anything more than friendship to each other." She looked down. She didn't dare look at his face, what if he was angry with her again as he was after his rescue? She didn't want to go through that again, or lose him. What she was about to say made her heart squeeze painfully, but it needed to be said.

"So, if you and she, Gnat, I mean. If you and she want to...well...you know. Well then...um...just tell me so I can make myself scarce. And...um...maybe tie a scarf or something on the door handle? So I know to stay away. That way I won't accidentally...well...interrupt...um...come in the room before..." Kai let out a huff of breath. "She is gorgeous, not something I would ever be accused of. And she has a lot in common with you, childhood wise. And she is an elf, so that is something else you have in common. I think it would be lovely." Kai wanted to choke on those words. "I mean I think she is very attractive, and I don't even go for women. Not even Leli or Isobel when they offered. But Gnat is something else entirely. And she is obviously interested in you outside of trying to get information from you. So, I say go for it." Kai blushed harder and felt tears creeping into the corners of her eyes. Sod it, why should this hurt so? "Not that you need my permission, that isn't what I mean! OK, I am just babbling, and I hope you aren't mad at me..." Anything else she was about to say was lost when his lips covered hers, hot and devouring, while his hands cupped her face. She was wondering if she should picture a lamppost, though they really didn't have the time with Gnat meeting them in the common room, when he stepped back. His amber eyes held amusement and exasperation?

"You have to be most infuriatingly arousing woman I have ever met. There is no other woman like you in all of Thedas." Kai, her lips tingling, blushed harder. "Of course I am jealous that you and Alistair have a bond that transcends death. But I am not jealous of your love for him or his for you. I understand how he feels completely. And I know you love me, my dear Kaidana, you have already proven that." He stroked her cheek. "As for something more pledged between us, you bring up a very good point." He reached around his neck and removed one of the earrings that she had hung on a leather thong back when he was comatose. He held it up to the light where the silver hoop with the translucent golden stones glimmered.

"You want me to have that? Oh Zev, are you sure? It was hers. I don't want to take it from you." Kai reached and cupped the earring in her hands.

"It is not taking if I give it, with my heart, to you." Zev put it in her hand and curled her fingers over it. "I have only loved two women in my life. So, it is fitting that they both have worn this earring, no?"

"Only one problem, I don't have pierced ears. I mean, I considered it once. There is an elven jeweler at Highever. He makes jewelry that looks like plants, silver ivy that trails around your neck or pussy willows in gold and pearls. He is so popular that nobles' wives and daughters come from all over Ferelden to have his work adorn their necks and ears. He made a necklace and earrings which looked like the branches of the rowan tree in silver, with garnets for the berries. It was the only time I lusted after jewelry, which I never really wore. I had considered asking my father to get it for me as a birthday present, but he was killed before that could happen. And I am babbling again." Kai flushed harder and looked at the earring sitting in her palm. The light hit the stones, making them glow like honey or solidified sunshine. "I guess I could wear it around my neck."

"You don't understand me, my dear Kaidana. I want you to wear one in your ear, and I will wear one in mine." He smiled at her. "Then, you will only have to touch it to remind yourself that I am wearing mine, and my heart belongs to you." He laid his lips tenderly on hers before stepping back. "As to piercing your ears, and I think one up in the curve of your ear for this earring. And I can take care of that." His fingers gently played with her earlobe. "But you are going to have to return the favor and pierce mine, no?"

She smiled and nodded at him. "I guess I can do that. I love you too, Zev." She blushed more, but grinned at him.

"There is one other thing I would ask of you, another promise. Then, we had best get ready to meet Gnat; I wouldn't want to keep her waiting too much longer, or she might think we are doing explicitly sexual things instead of talking, no?" He laughed when Kai blushed harder.

"What can I do for you, my dear friend?" Kai touched his cheek.

"I want you to put the vallaslin on my skin." He smiled and kissed her and went to the chest to get their armor.


	59. Chapter 60

**BioWare owns all but all the stuff that is mine. : )**

_**ALERT: **I am going to cover the sensitive subject of rape in this chapter. I am not going to write a rape scene or describe it. So this **isn't** NON CON. But it might bring up unpleasant feelings or memories for some. There is nothing graphic or explicit; still, I wanted you all to know. I have known women it happened to, including my best friend when we were ten by the neighborhood creep. I wanted to warn you all. And I am in no way equating what happens to an OC character with the Catholic Church's recent problems with pedophile priests. I don't want to insult anyone's religion either. This is purely for story line purposes. So with that said, I want to be sensitive to my fans while still keeping with my story._

_So, I hope you enjoyed Gnat's story and it gave you more insight into our littlest scrapper. SPOILER ALERT: There was a little confusion as the Emperor of Orlais was Celene's uncle in some research, but the letter in RtO says they are putting their father's disagreements aside. And I tweaked it so they had a small secret meeting before they meant to meet again according to her letter in RtO. I must go with the Emperor of Orlais being her uncle, as if he had been her father, then she would have been in line for the throne against siblings not cousins. But that is just my take. Maybe BioWare and Mr. Gaider had other ideas._

_Oh and a special shout out to Violet Theirin! She has written a story of her own, her first fanfic "**The Rose of the Alienage**." Please read it and give her some love. It is a wonderful story. So read and review. I saw Misame had already. : ) Go VT! And I am so, so sorry I didn't do this sooner, sweetie. I love your story. VT's story is for all you Swoopers. : )_

_And a shout out to Riannya and her story "**MisIntention.**" For Zev fans, it is a must read. Please give her story some love too._

_And TannithAeyrs has a story "**A Grey Warden's Honor**," which is most excellent. Please check it out!_

_In fact, I am going to go through my list of fans and give all your stories shout outs. I am sorry your author here was a moron and didn't even get it into her silly, fluffy head to check them out. I will rectify that ASAP. Such talent and smarts. Of course I knew that already with your lovely reviews and your suggestions. But really, I should smack myself, Andraste's flaming knickers! You would think I am not that bright. GAH! : (_

_Thank you both VT and Ria for giving my story a shout out on yours. I am so flattered. : ) Sorry I didn't give you a shout out sooner too. I promise to smack myself on the back of the head._

_A shout out has to go to Phoenix Fire Lady for the insight in her last review. She touched on it, and so here is a part. We had a brief run in with the mage Tower. But it was small. We get more of a lead in for making an alliance with them in this chapter. I hope you enjoy._

_Which leads me to a possible SPOILER ALERT for Awakenings. I will be mentioning briefly and a little Anders, the mage from the new expansion. It is brief, but I like to give fair warning. I don't want to mess with anyone's game playing enjoyment._

_Another shout out to Night Hunter MGS for the comments about what hidden compartments in shoes could also be used for. Which I had not thought of. : )_

_**Blessings! : )**_

The town, if it really could be called one, had no real name; it had just grown up around the inn and the Tower at Lake Calenhad. It basically consisted of houses, a small marketplace and the smithy up the hill past the ruins from the inn. It was clean and well kept, and the buildings were in good repair, thanks to "The Silver Griffon." Kai remembered how bad it had looked when she had first come through on her way from Redcliffe to one of the other safe houses, right after Anora had tried to poison her. When they had passed through, the houses had been falling apart. The darkspawn had trampled and tainted everything. The gardens and crops were black and dead. The people had been starving and sick. Many had died, mostly the elderly, the frail and the young. There had been so many fires burning that the air had been thick with a greasy, black smoke and ash. The combination left oily smears on everything when one tried to wipe it off. One incident in particular stayed in her mind. A man named "Timothy" had been holding a bundle in his arms. Kai had thought it was a little doll, but it had been the corpse of his infant daughter. The babe had obviously starved to death. The man had been so broken, he had refused to let anyone take her from him. They had finally had to knock him out so they could take the poor little mouldering corpse and cremate it. Kai, who was newly pregnant herself, had been sick and extremely angry that Anora had not even moved to do anything for the people.

It was that journey that started Kai on the idea of "The Silver Griffon." She had remembered a childhood tale of "The Black Fox." And from then on, any monies reacquired from the nobles who were over taxing their people and taking those taxes before they reached Anora were all to be distributed back to the people of Ferelden instead of being used to build one monument after another to Loghain.

She had met the dwarven smith who lived here while in Denerim. He had helped one of Kai's people who had been waylaid in a small back alley by a gang out looking for easy pickings, since Anora's idea of law and order consisted of her own personal army dedicated to her own personal protection. The rest of Ferelden could happily rot, for all she cared. One Scath, an elf from the Alienage, had been a ripe target for a bunch of drunken men. The dwarf, Talan Hennslin, and his son, Aulber, had helped beat off the men with weapons they had made to sell in the marketplace. They had started talking with her spy, and he had found them sympathetic to the cause. Both dwarves being surface born, they considered topside their home, and they had not liked what was going on with Anora. So, they had been let in on "The Silver Griffon" and the Scath and the Scathach.

Talan had moved his wife, two sons and one daughter to the town outside of Lake Calenhad. They had all helped the people rebuild their homes and had built the smithy. On the surface, the smithy made pots, pans, tools, parts for wagons, carriages and shoes for Ceffyls, among other sundries. He also repaired all of those things. But behind the scenes, he made weapons and armor for Kai and for all the men and women soldiers Kai had allied with. He was the one who made her daggers. His daughter was the leather worker and made all the leathers that any Scath rogue wore. And it had been her idea to put thin bands of dwarven steel in the knuckles of the gloves, the elbows, the knees and the toes of the boots. Not enough to make them too heavy, but just enough to hurt an opponent. Kai meant to see her about putting secret compartments in the heels of their boots like the one in Gnat's boot.

She, Zev, Jarren, Argus and Gnat all made their way up the path past the arching ruins and into the town. Jarren made his way to his assigned houses to distribute monies to the families. Kai and Zev made their way to the unofficial mayor of this little community. People out and about doing the day's business waved and smiled at them, even at Gnat. Kai was struck once again by how much respect and trust she was given by these people. It always made her squirm, that they would give her that much power over their lives. She made a mental note, as she always did, to respect their trust and to never forget it.

Her father always said that the people they were leading (and he always called it "leading," not "ruling") commanded respect. They were the strong back and the legs the kingdom stood upon. He had taught her that the station they had been born to, one of privilege, came with certain responsibilities. Responsibility had been drilled into Kai's and Fergus' heads at a young age by their father and mother. Her parents had always told her that servants were people, with families and lives. They got sick, lost loved ones, had bad things happen. They were not tools or furniture, but people, and that included non-humans as well. The alienage at Highever was not really a separate place, walled off from the rest of Highever. It was more like a part of town where most of the elvhenan chose to live. But the mingling of humans and elves and the casteless dwarves all took place in peace. Kai and Fergus had both taken the lessons of their parents to heart. Kai was glad to see that the town here had accepted Talan and his family and fit them in as seamlessly as if they had been here all along.

Kai walked on looking for the "mayor" and found Timothy at the fountain in the town's square. He looked like a completely different man from the grieving, starving, tormented individual they had found clutching his dead infant daughter. He was talking to a young man, Khenys, one of the townsfolk. Kai had meant to wait until he was done speaking before getting his attention, but the young man saw her first and his face split into a wide grin. Timothy spun around to see who was there, and his own face lit up in a brilliant smile. He swept Kai up in his giant arms for a breath-squeezing hug. "My Lady Cousland! It has been too long!" Kai laughed and patted his back until he put her down. "How are you? I heard about the darkspawn and that you were hurt. I am glad to see you are up and about. We burned the bodies, especially that ogre. And we were very careful." He held up a hand in case she should make a comment. "We are just glad not to be burning you along with them."

"You and me both, Ser Timothy." Kai smiled at him.

"I will echo that sentiment, my good man." Zev grinned.

"Hm, I find myself agreeing with Zevran more and more," Alistair's voice said in her head with a mental smile of his own. She just chuckled at him.

"Timothy, how many times have I asked you not to call me 'my lady,' or 'my Lady Cousland'? Honestly, a man who hugs me like a rag doll need hardly stand on such formality. I am just 'Kai,' for the Maker's sake." Kai jokingly admonished the man.

"My lady, that you would throw all the rules of the classes aside and allow us all such informal access to you is wonderful even as it is, odd, shall we say? But some decorum must be kept. I call you 'my lady' as a sign of respect, for _you_, not your title as a Cousland of Highever, nor even as 'The Hero of Ferelden,' or at least the living hero." Timothy grinned harder as she blushed.

"You sound like my mother, Timothy, when you speak of decorum. Are you sure you aren't related in some way?" Timothy gave her a hearty laugh.

"Of a certainty I am not. If I were, I would brag about it to all and sundry." He grinned at her and gave her hand a shake. "So, I take it you are here for 'The Silver Griffon's' usual delivery? And I have heard that apples, honey and potatoes are all coming from Highever. I have a missive from Redcliffe that salted fish and flour are to be arriving soon by ship from the lake. Your idea of trading for the goods that our dwarven smith and his family makes has been genius, and as you can see, we are doing well." Timothy waved a hand to encompass the village. "If this keeps up, we will have to come together and name our thriving community so we can officially be put on the map." Kai grinned at him. "I also understand that our stout friend has been working on some things for you, my lady. The good news is that he is doing so well, he now has three apprentices along with his two fine sons. Khenys is one of his newest. So, the repairs to the armor and weapons you brought should be done sooner than expected."

"And one of his sons has taken on the merchant duties and travels, taking his father's wares to different places. He is in Orzammar now. I also know he has been unofficially spying for 'The Griffon.' As a merchant, he hears many things that people do not think he hears. They talk in front of him, forgetting he is there – a part of the background, if you will."

"It may be you should make him a Scath, no? Not all of your spies have to be warriors or rogues. I had not thought of that myself, but why not ask a merchant to be one?" Zev's voice held a musing tone as he looked at Kai with a raised eyebrow.

"I had not thought of it either. It is something we can propose to him when we see him next." Kai smiled at him.

"As well you should, my Lady Cousland. We are all on your side should you ever call on us." Timothy smiled a warm smile at her. "We will not forget what you have done here. Did I tell you? Nila and I are expecting our babe in the Fall! If it is a girl we want to name her Kaidana. And if it be a son, Alistair." It was Timothy's turn to blush. "Nila and I hope you don't mind."

Kai could only gape at the man. She didn't really know what to say. He really wanted to name his child after her? Alistair she could understand, he was the true "Hero of Ferelden," not to mention being part of Calenhad's line. But her? "Why ever would you want to saddle the poor lass with such a name as mine? Better to name her Rowan after Maric's wife and a true hero in her own right." Kai felt her own blush deepening to match Timothy's.

"Ah, my love, I know exactly why he wants to name her after you." Alistair's voice was tinged with love.

Timothy's blush abated and he laughed. "You are far too modest, my lady. You saved this town, you saved me from doing myself harm. You are saving our country. I know of no name better suited then yours. May I please have your blessing to do so, my lady?" he asked her softly, Kai blushed more, but nodded.

"I hope she isn't as much trouble as I was growing up." Kai joked with him. Kai heard Zev chuckle, and she turned and grinned at him.

"My lady, there is another matter which I would beg you to look into. It is a sensitive matter and involves the tower and, I am afraid, the Templars." Timothy gestured for them to follow him. He led them to his house and went in. Nila turned from the table where she was cutting up vegetables and meat for the evening's meal. She greeted them with a smile. Timothy went to her and kissed her while putting a hand on the gentle swell of her belly. "My love, I have another visitor for you."

"My lady, it is a pleasure! And you brought your friend Zevran." Nila held out her hand.

Kai shook it, and Zev brushed his lips over Nila's knuckles. "It is a pleasure to see you again, dear lady." Zev used his most charming voice, making Nila blush.

"Oh ho, I see why you like seeing him again, my wife!" Timothy grinned as he teased her.

"Hm, more men should take a page out of his book, husband." Nila wrinkled her nose at Timothy.

"See what you do, causing marital strife everywhere you go." Kai jabbed Zev in the ribs with her elbow, causing him to grin and chuckle out loud.

Timothy laughed, smiling at Zevran. "It is good to see you again, friend. And I see you have a new face following you today." Timothy stuck out his hand to Gnat.

Gnat took it and winked at Timothy, who seemed enraptured by Gnat's exotic looks. "I am indeed newly recruited to help 'The Silver Griffon,' good ser. You may call me Gnat."

"Oh ho, husband. I see I need to watch you around this one." Nila laughed as Timothy blushed. "And did you say 'Gnat'?"

Gnat nodded and laughed. "It is what I go by, dear lady. I am small, and my daggers bite. So, that is the nickname I was given. I have been Gnat for so long, I would not recognize my own, proper name if you called me by it." Gnat grinned, and Nila laughed and shook Gnat's hand.

The exchange had given Timothy time to collect himself after meeting someone as exotic and beautiful as Gnat. "My love, I thought that our lady would like to meet our guest. I thought maybe she could help."

Nila nodded. "She had been sleeping, poor thing. And no offense, but she is a little, well, touchy around men. With good reason. So I hope that Zevran won't mind staying out here with my Tim." Zevran shook his head and took a seat at the table to wait. Nila led Kai and Gnat back to a second bedroom where she knocked on the door.

A small voice bid them enter. Nila walked in first, and Kai and Gnat followed. A heavily pregnant young girl was sitting up in the bed. Her rounded face and her tight belly had her in her eighth or the beginning of her ninth month, from what Kai could estimate. The girl had to be all of sixteen years old, if she was a day. And, Kai was willing to bet, just barely sixteen. The girl wore the mage robes of the tower. She looked frightened, and Kai didn't blame her. Wynne had had her own son taken from her when she had given birth. It was one of the long tally of things that Kai had on the special "Reasons-I-Hate-the-Chantry" list she had running in her head. "These are friends, Drysi. In fact they work for 'The Griffon.' I know it will be hard for you, but I want Kai here to know what happened. I didn't want to tell your story without your permission."

"I am so ashamed," Drysi flushed and bit her lip. She looked down and started to cry. Nila just stroked the girl's hair and back.

"You have nothing to be ashamed for. It was not your fault." Nila handed the girl a handkerchief and lifted her chin. "You were powerless, and you had no choice. I think that my friend here can help. May I tell her?" Drysi nodded and looked at Nila, her face flushing before she looked down at her swollen belly. "I guess I should begin at the beginning. A young male mage, named 'Anders,' I think, and Drysi showed up in our village about two weeks ago. He had managed to escape the Tower; he told us this was his seventh escape, in fact. On this get away, he took Drysi with him."

"Is he the father? Did he abandon you?" Kai asked the girl gently, who shook her head vehemently and sobbed harder.

Nila shook her head. "No, in fact he helped her destroy her phylactery. He found hers when he went searching for his own. Then, he helped her escape with him. He knew the Templars were coming, so he drew them off, knowing they were looking for him. He said he had information that some of the phylacteries had been moved for safety from the Blight. His was one, but he didn't know where, so I have no idea where the young man went. But he told me to keep Drysi safe, and he left as quickly as he could, like a fox hunted by hounds. The Templars came through and kept on going, thank the Maker. He was a very brave soul. No, a Templar did this to her, the rotten bastard!" Drysi made little mewling noises. Nila just rubbed her back and told her to try and sleep while she motioned for Kai and Gnat to go back out.

Kai and Gnat went back out to the main room, where Zev and Tim sat, to wait for Nila while she got the girl situated. "So you know?" Tim asked her. Kai just nodded. By the time Nila came back out, Kai's personal tally had just gotten longer, and she could feel the cold, cold anger of her own personal abyss infringing on the edges of her humanity.

"Do you think you can at least get that Templar taken care of? I doubt Drysi is his only victim." Nila's eyes had an angry look that mirrored hers and Gnat's.

"Be sure of one thing, dear lady. I think our dear Kaidana will make sure that he is 'taken care of.' I know that look. And if you are talking Templars, then a trip to the mage Tower is in our future, no?" Zev gave his cold, hard, assassin smile.

Kai's own smile was frosted with Winter. "To be certain, my dear friend. We have a Knight Commander, a Head Enchanter, and one child-raping bastard to have a little chat with."


	60. Chapter 61

**BioWare owns all but all the things I made up. : )**

_Thank you all for your kind words about my handling of a delicate subject. I am so glad you felt I handled it well. Night Hunter MGS, my dear friend, I am so sorry it was an emotional topic for you. I know it is for many. But I hope it was not too bad._

_So it is off to the mage Tower for our intrepid Kai and time for a little chat with some people there._

_I do have to give another shout out to Night Hunter MGS for an idea on how to deal with the Templar we all love to hate now. And it is not exactly what NH MGS suggested, but it put me to another idea which I read in a series of books by David Eddings __The_ _Belgariad__. For those of you who are David Eddings fans and have read that series of books, you may recognize the similarities in scene and dialogue. So a shout out to him as well, which will pop up again next chapter, as it isn't going to happen in this one. Sorry, more teasing by me. I know, I know, I am evil. : ) And NH MGS, love the idea on what to name the town! I will be working that in somehow. : )_

_And I promise shout outs to all of your works, since you are all talented authors in your own rights. And I will, but I may get more shout outs during the weekends when I actually have time to read your works and review for you! UGH. Stupid working for a living, it cuts out so much time in my day. Bleh!_

_So tonight I shout out to Fluid Consciousness's story "**Stray**." If you love strong women, this is an Elissa Cousland for you. : )_

_Again, thank you all for reading and reviewing when you are all writing, playing, and trying to live busy lives as well. I do appreciate it more than I can say. That you all are so devoted and take the time is not lost on me. I am in your debt, dear fans. You help keep me going, especially when I may doubt myself. LOL. So to you all, my deepest appreciation. : )_

_**Blessings**!_

Before going to the Circle Tower, Kai wanted to meet with Talan's daughter, Hulda, about putting compartments into boot heels like Gnat's. And she was hoping Hulda might be able to accommodate her with the boots she and Zev wore today by looking at Gnat's boots as an example. She was hoping to hide some tricks on her person when walking into the Tower. They couldn't walk in in full armor and armed to the teeth. She might be recognized for one thing. Plus, without a Blight and with Anora on the throne, she wasn't sure how much visiting by anyone the Templars would allow, let alone someone with daggers strapped visibly to them. She wanted to have hidden surprises should she need them.

Kai found Hulda in her leather working shop attached to the smithy. The stocky dwarf was beautiful, with almond green eyes and russet hair. She had the look of a short, clean milkmaid. But Hulda could cut off a man's arm before he had time to blink. She didn't just help her da' and her brothers making armor and weapons, she knew how to use them too.

Hulda liked the new compartment idea for the boot heels. She went to work immediately on Kai's and Zev's boots, using Gnat's as the example. The result had them all sitting in a row on a work bench with their bare feet dangling. Kai found it fascinating and a little disconcerting that her feet were the biggest, then Zev's, with Gnat's being the size of a ten year old child's. Zev's foot reached over and stroked her own, causing her skin to tingle and her face to flush, but she looked at him and grinned. Gnat, who had been watching, caught the look and blushed herself. "Ah, why did no one tell me?"

"Tell you what, my dear?" Zevran looked at Gnat.

"That you two were bedding each other." Gnat narrowed her eyes at Zev.

"And why would that be important information, pet?" Zev blinked his amber eyes at her in mock innocence.

"Because I was, what is that term you use here? I was going to, _sodding_ try and see if you would bed me!" Gnat laughed

Zevran laughed. "Dear Gnat, whatever made you entertain such an idea?"

Kai snickered. "Oh, please." Zev grinned at her.

"Other than being handsome and an elf? Having a man lift me off my feet and pin me to a wall with such dexterity and strength, I consider that an audition. Or, foreplay?" Gnat batted her eyelashes at him and laughed. "But alas, I do not poach. However, should she ever kick you out, you know where to look, yes?" Kai blushed at their open talk, but had to chuckle at Gnat.

"Oh, si. Though such a lovely offer does make getting in trouble that much more enticing, does it not?" Zev shot Kai a sly grin and a sideways look as his foot stroked hers again.

"Oh indeed, it makes me want to get into trouble so I can run to Gnat." Kai wrinkled her nose at him while Gnat laughed.

"You are very beautiful, for a Shem." Gnat grinned at her. "So, I make the same offer to you as well."

"This could be remedied. No one needs to get into trouble. We could all..." Kai blushed and put her finger on his lips. He just kissed her fingertip the way he always did and grinned. Gnat laughed harder.

Kai was saved from further embarrassing jokes by her two miscreants, Maker they were so much alike, when Hulda came back with their boots. She looked very pleased. She showed Kai the garrote she had put in one boot, and the small dagger and vial of poison in the other. Hulda said that the compartment had sparked other ideas, which she would begin working on to show Kai later. She would have designs for Kai's approval as soon as she could. They put on their boots. Kai gave hers a test, pleased she could feel no difference in the weight of the boot nor did the items stored there make any noise. Hulda, as always, refused any payment for her services. The whole family would not take so much as a copper if Kai tried to offer it. So when she wasn't looking, Kai slipped some coins on the work table and hurried out before Hulda could catch her and give it back.

Now that task was over, Kai and her group could go to the inn and collect Wynne and Argus. Kai also wanted to go, if not actually in disguise, at lease in civilian clothes. She did not want to be recognized as "The Hero of Ferelden" by anyone other than Irving. At least, not until she got the lay of the land.

By the time they had walked back to The Spoiled Princess, Kai had worked out what she hoped was a plausible cover story for them to use. Gnat would be Kai's daughter, and Zev her elven servant. Wynne would just be Wynne and a family friend. Kai figured the fastest way to get to see Irving would be to tell them they were worried that Gnat was showing magical talents.

Kai hoped the story would allow them all to see Irving and get his impression of Knight-Commander Greagoir. When Kai had been at the Tower last, she had the unfortunate timing to come in when Greagoir had locked down the Tower and was sending to the Chantry for the Rite of Annulment, which would have given him the right to "purge," rather murder, all the mages in the Tower. He was in a bit of a panic, and Kai had not been about to let Greagoir kill possibly innocent mages who had not turned into abominations. It was her group that had braved the Tower and met up with Wynne. They had saved the Tower by escaping a sloth demon's prison in the Fade, killing an abomination named Uldred and saving Head Enchanter Irving in the end. Kai had found it disgusting that the man had given up so easily on saving people he had known for years.

Kai had found Greagoir a little puffed up, stuck on duty and not much of an innovative thinker. He was very much a man who loved rules. However, he was an honorable man despite those shortcomings. She didn't have any idea how he was handling Anora's rule or if anything really had changed for him. She felt it best to err on the side of caution where he was concerned. She would speak to Irving first.

They got to the inn to find Wynne sitting in the common room with a cup of tea and a book. Argus lay at her feet. She looked up and smiled upon seeing Kai, but the smile quickly faded when she saw their grim faces. Kai introduced Gnat to Wynne and then went on to explain what had happened with the Templar and Drysi. Kai told her that they had his name; Nila had convinced Drysi to give it to her after much persuasion. Kai explained her plan for getting into Kinloch Hold to see Irving. Wynne agreed, since Irving was sympathetic to them and knew which mages could be trusted, as he had proved by coming to the Dalish camp after Erys' treachery. Kai asked Wynne to wait while they all got out of their armor and into their "disguises."

Kai and Zevran quickly got dressed in the "civvies," as they liked to call them in the Scath. Kai started to giggle when he turned around. She was not used to seeing him in what would be considered "peasant garb." When he was in comfortable clothing, it was always finer stuff, a fine wool shirt and breeches, for example. He spun around and gave her an impish grin. "I would not laugh too hard, my dear Kai. You look like a farmer's wife yourself. Though, there is something entirely wholesome about that outfit. It tempts me to try to corrupt you." He grinned as he ran a finger down her neck and over the bodice of the plain dress while he leaned in close, his lips just a breath away.

"Hah, I have already been corrupted remember? I am a mother, and I do know what causes it." She kissed him, then grasped the finger he had been trailing down her front and gave it a quick little bite before grinning at him. "You are a complete scamp."

"Si!" he laughed. "I think I might ask you to wear that outfit sometime. We can role play." His grin got sly.

"Ugh, you are incorrigible!" She kissed him again and laughed while playfully pushing him away just as there came a knock on the door. Kai went and answered it while Zev secreted small, poisoned daggers in hidden sheaths in his clothes and his boots. Gnat came in, and Kai almost didn't recognize her. She had braided her hair in two pigtails, but in such a way that it covered the tapered ends of her elven ears. Her outfit was that of child, and she had managed to hide her womanly curves. If Kai didn't know better, she would think Gnat really was a ten-year-old child, but the illusion was complete when she spoke in a quiet, breathy, little girl's voice.

"Mommy!" Gnat grinned at her.

"Oh, that is just too strange. Don't do that until we get to the Tower," Kai laughed at her. Gnat only grinned more widely at her. Kai threw on a light cloak and pulled up the hood.

"Shall we go talk to old Kester and get ourselves to the Tower?" Kai smiled at them. "We have a Templar to speak with."


	61. Chapter 62

**BioWare owns all except all my stuff, and you know what all it is. But since I have 61 chapters and 200 reviews thanks to this wonderful company and Mr. Gaider's story, I need to give my thanks to them as well. : )**

_So, we have our group about to beard the tower, one Kinloch Hold. Will Knight-Commander Greagoir be a stickler for rules or regs, or will he side with the Templar? W/ill he finally be an innovative thinker? We all get to find out in this chapter. : )_

_And a big SHOUT OUT, to all of you! You all made this possible. Going on 61 chapters and 200 hundred reviews. WOW! I am stunned, undone, thrilled, and so very honored. To keep you all entertained for so long a story, and I am guessing from the reviews and the traffic that I am doing just that, is a thrill for me. You have all contributed in so many ways, whether support or ideas, to this my first fanfic, I am truly blessed. Thanks guys! : )_

_No worries MouseMage, I am not spoiling anything here by saying Cullen is not our culprit, though I do have plans for him. I think he is a good man, and I am plotting for him. : )_

_My author shout out tonight goes to Piceron and her story "**What Comes Next**." It has a lovely little twist and a lot of Swooper angst. So, please give it the love and reviews that it so richly deserves. Again, I fmd Misame has already beaten me to it, you saucy minx! : )_

_Again a shout out to Mr. David Eddings and his book series __The_ _Belgariad__. And a shout out to Night Hunter MGS who spurred on the idea. Phoenix Fire Lady as well, you do help make the ideas flow. As I said, you are all the best damn fans. And yes NH you are that damn good! ROFL! : )_

_SORRY for not getting this out last night. Ugh, real life got in the way with a thousand things I had to do instead of this. BLEH!_

_**Blessings!**_

Kester the ferryman rowed Kai, Zev, Argus, Gnat and Wynne across the cold, dark waters of Lake Calenhad to Kinloch Hold. The water acted like a mirror and made Kai feel as if they were sailing in the sky among the clouds. Only the gentle murmur of the water as it dripped from the oar when Kester raised it and the sound of it plunging back into the water, breaking the surface in a burble, kept Kai from feeling like dwarves who see the sky for the first time. She felt that if she were to fall from the boat, she would actually be falling into the sky to be lost.

It certainly lent an air of mystique, as the mage Tower seemed to sit amongst clouds rather than in dark water that harbored who knew what. It struck her that the tower was, indeed, a haven of good and light. It was also a haven for the dark and unknown. It was filled with mages like Wynne and Niall, who had died in the Fade trying to save the Tower. And it was a beacon for demons wanting to control mages and the mages who might let them. But then, wasn't that the way of everyone except the darkspawn? Who didn't have inner demons that wanted to be in control? Or the spirits of their better natures? These deep philosophical thoughts only solidified Kai's vow that the mages should be free to make their own way, good or ill, and suffer the consequences just like everyone else. Her plans for the Templars to be the "gendarme" as they say in Orlais, the constables of the mages rather than their jailers, crystallized. It also might mean fewer chances of something like what had happened to Drysi happening again. Kai added it to her ever growing list of things to do when Anora was off the throne. She gave a mental sigh, _What a mess_. Had she really agreed to come back from the Fade? Maker, what had she been thinking?

"You were thinking of saving Ferelden and having our children, my love," Alistair's voice teased her.

"Ah, yes, that." Kai got a warm feeling thinking of Fi and Duncan, followed by an overwhelming sense of longing to see them. "They were worth this whole hullabuloo." Kai gave him a mental smile.

Kai had left Jarren behind to speak to the townsfolk. It had taken a lot of persuasion for him to stay behind and complete his assigned tasks there. He was to gather any desires or needs the townsfolk may have that "The Silver Griffon" could work on. Kai was both amused and proud. As a Crow, disagreeing with one's leader was strictly unheard of. However, her ex Crows were quickly becoming independent people who would follow orders but would speak their minds as well.

Oghren, too, had been scarce. Once he had heard that she would survive the Ogre attack, he had been noticeably absent. Kai was fine with his playing hooky on this one. Coming up with a cover story that included a belching, farting dwarf who smelled like a brewery would have made things more complex. The elven male, the "child" and the war dog already in the mix were more than enough. Stories could only get so far before they became "fish tales," as her grandfather used to call them. Besides, it was as Zev had said; she could hardly begrudge the dwarf's getting lucky, though that thought was leading to some uncomfortable images. Kai gave herself a mental head slap. _Not_ going there!

"Ah my love, just think what you could have had! Now Felsi has him. You really missed out!" Alistair's voice laughed in her ear.

"Ha, very ha! But remember, my beloved, you feel what I feel, see what I see. Do you really want me to start imagining Oghren naked?" Kai gave him a mental head tilt with a smile.

"Great Maker, NO!" He gave her a shudder. "I give, I give!" She could feel him grinning. "You really are evil, you know that don't you?" Kai laughed at him.

Kai was interrupted from her inner conversation as the boat skimmed into the cavern under the tower where the docks were. Magical rune lanterns lit the interior as Kester guided the boat with practiced ease to the wooden pier. He tied off the boat to keep it from floating away, and then got out and offered his hand to Kai, helping her out of the boat and giving her a conspiratorial wink where the Templars, guarding the entrance to the stone steps leading upwards, couldn't see.

Gnat, true to her role, put up both arms with a little impatient bounce, like a child asking to be picked up. Kai could only muse to herself how good Gnat and Leliana were at acting a part. Must be the bard training.

"It is also a little bit creepy, considering she chatted up both you and Zev," Alistair's voice gave her a mock shudder. Kai laughed at him as she bent down and picked up Gnat, lifting her up and setting her down on the dock, grabbing her small hand in hers.

Zev and Argus came next, while Kester extended his hand to help Wynne. Kai made her way towards the two Templars, a man and a woman, guarding the stone stairway leading to the antechamber before the big hall. They immediately stepped in front of Kai to bar the way, but Wynne strode up and pushed between them. "Honestly, this woman needs to see Head Enchanter Irving right away. Her daughter may have magical abilities!" The two Templars moved back into their previous position.

Gnat spoke out in her "little girl" voice. "Mommy, I don't want to go in there." Kai had to chew the inside of her cheek not to laugh and give them away.

Kai pitched her voice higher and dropped the accent of her noble training. "Hush, poppet, it will be fine." She bent down and smoothed a hand over Gnat's forehead, and the elven woman took the moment to wink and give a small grin. Kai stood back up looking at Zev and Argus and waving an impatient hand at them. "Oh, do hurry up! And keep Snuggles out of trouble this time. I don't want Head Enchanter Irving putting us in the Tower dungeon because that dog chewed something up."

Argus whined and tilted his head. Zev just nudged him with his foot while averting his eyes and bowing at Kai. "Yes, mistress." Kai just huffed at him in mock annoyance and climbed the stone steps holding hands with Gnat. They reached the small antechamber before the big double doors leading to the large hall. Wynne opened them and beckoned them all through.

The last time Kai had been through these doors, there had been Templars running to and fro in a panic. Some had been lying on the ground, wounded. Now, the huge hall was mostly empty save for two Templar guards flanking the doors she had just walked through and two standing by the now open doors leading to the apprentice's quarters and the hallway that ran the length of the rooms and led to the stairway to the next floor. Wynne walked with authority through the doorways and into the hallway towards the stairs. Kai kept having mental vertigo. The Tower was repaired and so very different from her last visit. The fleshy, organ like growths that had covered the walls were gone. There were no dead bodies to step over, no pools of blood to slide in. The Tower seemed to be one of the few places in Ferelden doing better under Anora's rule.

As they made their way up the Tower to the Head Enchanter's office, they passed the occasional Templar and various mages, but no one stopped them to ask who they were or what they were doing. Kai let out a small sigh as she followed Wynne. In fact, they made it to the Head Enchanter's office doors without so much as a hand raised in greeting. Kai didn't know whether to be relieved or more wary. She didn't know what she had been expecting, maybe a Fade demon to jump out and start eating everyone? She bit back a laugh.

Irving had his doors open and sat at his desk writing on parchment. His grizzled gray head was bent so low in concentration that his beard rubbed the front of his robed chest. Wynne tapped gently with her knuckles on the wooden door to get Irving's attention. "Irving, I have someone to see you. She is worried that her little one here may be showing magical ability. Kai shoved Gnat through the door just like a mother pushing a reluctant child forward.

They all filed into the room, and Zev shut the door behind him. Irving had risen from his seat and come around his desk to greet her. He put out his hand to shake hers, and she slipped him one of the metal disks with the sign of the Scath on it. Irving took a discrete look at the disk and raised his eyebrow at her slightly. He then spoke loudly enough to be heard by the Templar outside his door, "Welcome to the Tower. This little one has been showing signs of knowing magic you say?" He then pitched his voice lower as he hugged Kai. "Hello, child. I am so sorry about what happened at the Dalish camp."

"Thank you, Irving. I just appreciate your coming in person and bringing some help. It really made a difference in the number of lives we lost. I owe you a debt." Kai smiled at him.

"Child, I still owe you for what you did here, saving all of us left in the Tower from Uldred. My debt is hardly paid so that you would owe me. We still have a long way to go before we are even on my side of the ledger. So, does this child really have magical abilities?" Iriving grinned at her.

"Hardly, ser." Gnat gave him a soft laugh.

"Ah, and hardly a child either." Irving chuckled.

"And no human either, shem." Gnat shook Irving's proffered hand. "But we needed an excuse to get past your sentries."

"We weren't sure how difficult it would be to get in here. Last time I came, it was easy. Or at least once I volunteered to stop the demons, it was. I wasn't sure what it would take this time. I am still dead to Anora, and I like it that way." Kai sat down in one of the chairs in front of Irving's desk as he went back around to seat himself. Gnat and Wynne both took extra chairs from around the long table in his office. Zev and Argus stayed near the door on watch.

"Actually, life here has been kept as normal as possible, for the most part. Knight-Commander Greagoir has been trying to ensure that it remains so, as you are dead and freedom for us is not forthcoming from Anora. But this has not come without consequences for Greagoir, I'm afraid," Irving sighed.

"First, let me promise that I will keep my word, Irving. I can't stand to see anyone treated unfairly or as second class citizens. I won't have slaves in Ferelden, I don't care if you can shoot lightening out of your fingers. No one should be penalized for being the way they were born." Kai held up a hand to halt any protest Wynne was going to make about incremental changes and trust. It was an old argument that she, Alistair, Wynne and Morrigan had had around camp many times. "And now you have me intrigued. What has happened to make Greagoir's life difficult?"

"Anora, with the help of the Grand Cleric, is using the Templars as her personal army. Greagoir objects, of course, as do I. We may be oil and water, but he is an honorable man. He is also a man who has been doing some uncomfortable thinking and reassessing his own views. His arguments against what Anora has been doing to Ferelden, coupled with his arguments with the Grand Cleric about the Chantry's sudden close relationship to the Queen, have cost him. He is persona non grata with the Chantry, and even the Revered Mother refuse to hear his concerns. Add to that, Anora and the Grand Cleric have opened up conscription to the Templars, lowering the standards of who they will accept. Training, if you can call it such, has been accelerated so they can be sent out more quickly. Troublemakers and such have been sent here. Some are just young, inexperienced and uneducated. Greagoir has had his hands full trying to complete their training. Others who have been sent here are simply less than savory, shall we say? Anora has promised to expand and build onto the Chantry in Amaranthine, making it a Cathedral that will rival the one in Val Royeaux. Of course it will bear a plaque honoring Loghain, as all of Anora's projects do. This means more money for the Grand Cleric and more prestige." Irving grimaced.

"What?" Kai got out of her chair and began to pace. "But how does she intend to pay for all of that?"

"She will continue to over tax the people of Ferelden, I suspect. From what I gather, she is spiraling even further out of control and into her own little world of madness. She does not live in the real world where her people starve or buildings and roads crumble." Kai could feel Irving's eyes as he watched her pace. "I know not what other plans she might have to generate that kind of funding. Especially since you, my dear girl, have been a fly in Anora's ointment, shall we say? Or rather 'The Silver Griffon' has been. Though, it does worry me what she might be doing to get together the kind of money that would attract the greed of the Chantry."

Kai gave him a grim smile and nodded. "Well, I am glad to hear that Greagoir is still an honorable man, as I am afraid that I have bad news that involves both of you."

Irving sat forward in his seat. "Would this have to do with our two missing mages by any chance?"

"In a sense, but only one of the mages really. Drysi, whom I have no doubt you are aware, is very pregnant, but do you know the story of just who the father is?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at him while her hands grasped the back of the chair.

Irving shook his head. "She would not say once she started to show and the questions and speculation started flying. I am sure you know such relationships are discouraged, but they do happen. As do the results of such relationships." Irving shot a quick look at Wynne.

"Be that as it may, Irving, I was not a fifteen year old child, nor was I forced." Wynne's voice retorted crisply.

"She told you she was raped? The rumors around the tower had the mage, Anders, whom she ran away with, as the father even though he had been in isolation for over a year at the order of the Grand Cleric. I knew he couldn't have done it, though he is a bit of ladies' man." Irving sighed. "We thought that maybe she had fallen in love and had an affair with one of the mages her own age and simply didn't want to name him. Alas, this is more disturbing than any scenario I had thought of."

"Oh, it is about to get more disturbing, perhaps you should pour yourself a glass of wine." Kai gestured to the bottle sitting on his desk with a glass next to it. "I said it involves both you and Greagoir, as the child raping bastard is a Templar." Kai's hands gripped the back of the wooden chair so tightly, her knuckles whitened. Irving did pour himself a glass of wine now, from which he took a large swig.

"I think we had better send for Greagoir." Irving rose and motioned for Zev and Argus to come away from the door. He opened the door and spoke to the young Templar outside before returning to his seat. It took about ten minutes before there was a knock at the door. "Come in, Gregoir." Kai kept her hood pulled up as she turned to see Knight-Commander Greagoir enter the room. He looked worn and tired. He had dark circles under his eyes and more lines around his mouth. His hair looked to be more silver than the last time she had seen him as well. Things were not well with the man. Kai had an extra flare of pity; what she and Irving were going to tell him would only add to his burdens.

Greagoir walked in and looked at the group staring at him. "What is it Irving, you know I am really busy trying to make these whelps the Grand Cleric keeps sending me into real Templars. I really don't have time for someone whose child may be a mage. That is your department." Greagoir pinched the bridge of his nose.

"That isn't why he called you here Knight-Commander." Kai threw back the hood of her cloak. Greagoir's eyes got wide, and he just gaped at her for good long moment.

"Maker's breath, I thought you were dead! I watched you collapse on the balcony. Anora announced that you had been assassinated." His face broke out into a genuine grin. "Oh blessed Andraste! I am so glad to see that it wasn't true!" Greagoir reached out a hand to her and Kai grasped his forearm while he grasped hers in a warriors grip.

"You may not be so happy that I am alive when you hear the news I bring." Kai gave him a small smile. She went on to explain about Drysi and the Templar, named Veyryl, who had been molesting her.

Kai watched as Greagoir's face became red and angry. "You are sure of this?"

Kai nodded. "Absolutely certain. It took a lot of persuasion to get her to tell us who; she is ashamed and blames herself. He threatened to kill her and say that she had been practicing blood magic. She is terrified of him; even though he cannot touch her, he haunts her still. So yes, I am."

Greagoir's face went stony as he nodded at her. "He is one of the noble's bastards they sent to us to be a Templar. He is spoiled and thinks he is beyond the rules that we all live by. He is about to find out how wrong he is." Like Irving before him, he went to the door and spoke briefly to the Templar outside the door, then he closed it once again. A few minutes passed and a young blonde Templar came in. He was handsome but for the arrogant twist lips and certain coldness in his eyes. He looked Kai over and licked his lips. Kai just crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him. It took everything she had not to take out the hidden garrote in her boot and use it on him. "Veyryl, there has been a serious accusation brought against you."

The young Templar waved a dismissive hand and snorted. "By whom, this chit? What, is she claiming the little brat next to her is mine? Can't be, never saw this woman before in my life, though I would like to see more of her. What do you say, sweetness? Care to play with a Templar?"

Kai laughed in his face. "I would rather have my insides washed with acid, than be touched by you." Kai watched as his face got red and he started forward.

"You little whore, I will show you what it means to insult me." But Greagoir stopped him with a hand on his chest. Kai just smiled a cold smile at him.

"You have been accused of raping the mage Drysi." Greagoir shoved the young man back.

"That slut? She wanted me. And now she wants to accuse me of rape? I only gave her what she asked for." His eyes narrowed, and his mouth pulled down in a growl.

"You mean a fifteen-year-old child asked to be molested by you while you threatened to kill her if she didn't comply?" Kai snorted. "You must be a lousy lover indeed if you have to resort to raping children and threatening them. Maybe you are just unable to _perform_ with adults."

"Bitch! I only threatened her because I got tired of her crying. She was the one who made cow eyes at me whenever I was on duty, and then she tried to say no when I finally gave her what she want..." Whatever he was going to say got cut off when Greagoir's gauntleted fist slammed into his face.

"ENOUGH! You will be dealt with." Greagoir picked him up and shoved him out the door, closing it behind them.

Kai felt her own blood boiling. She looked at Irving. "Drysi is free of the Tower, unless she wants to come back. Do you understand, Irving? I will make sure she is protected from any Templar who might try and visit her."

Irving nodded. "Her phylactery?"

"Destroyed already. And I want the hunt called off on the mage who helped her." Kai clenched her fists.

"I can't, nor can Greagoir do that unfortunately. The lad is a good lad, but the Grand Cleric hates him with a passion. He has embarrassed her by escaping seven times. Each punishment she has ordered has been worse than the last. She sent her own personal Templar, a woman by the name of Rylock, to hunt him. Rylock shares the Grand Cleric's feelings toward the boy. We can only hope he finds his phylactery and eludes them." Irving grimaced. "I am truly sorry, dear girl."

Kai nodded, then it struck her. _Where exactly was Greagoir going with Veyryl?_ "Irving, where do you think the Knight-Commander was going with our rapist?"

"To the dungeons I would think. Why?"

"Which way would he go when he left the room then?" Kai's felt her eyes getting wide.

"To the left. He would have to go down." Irving looked at her confused. Everyone else seemed to have the same expression.

"Then going right would mean he is going up?" Irving nodded at her. "Is there an entrance to the top of the tower on the outside?"

Again Irving nodded. "It is a doorway by the stairwell leading to the Harrowing Chamber."

"I think he is planning on executing his own punishment on our molester." Kai pulled her hood up and ran for the door. She didn't even look to see if the others followed. She ran to the stairway leading up, barreling through more chambers with startled mages and Templars alike. She ignored them all to finally, Maker, reach the room where she had once found the Templar Cullen trapped by Uldred. She had never seen the doorway under the stairs, being otherwise occupied at the time. The door was already open, and she found a narrow, steep set of stone steps curving with the walls of the tower and leading up. Kai followed them, starting to get dizzy before she finally came to a trap door that was likewise opened, showing a patch of blue sky dotted with white clouds.

Kai didn't want Greagoir to cause himself more trouble by killing the noble's brat. He was already having troubles enough. She was just emerging when she heard a terrified scream. She leapt up to the tower's floor and turned to find Greagoir standing at the edge looking down. Kai ran up to him. "So, where is Veyryl?"

He turned to her with a calm look on his face. "Learning how to fly."

Kai kept her face a mask. "So, how's he doing?"

Greagoir looked over the side before turning back to her. "Does bouncing count?"

Kai grinned at him. "No."

"Then I am afraid he is not doing well at all." And Greagoir gave her a broad grin.


	62. Chapter 63

**BioWare owns all that is not mine, and we all know what that is. LOL!**

_Well, Greagoir actually was judge, jury, and flight instructor. Too bad for Veyryl that his arrogance, cruelty, and the law of gravity made him sink like a lead balloon, no? Ah, so we have a noble's brat who has been summarily disposed of. So that may come back and bite Greagoir in the backside. And what of this using of Templars as her own personal army by Anora? When you seek quantity, quality obviously goes way down, if our plummeting pedophile was any indication. So Kai and her group will leave the mage Tower for now, their current project finished. Will they have to return? Let's just say the Bronto poo poo hasn't quite hit the proverbial metal spinning thing just yet where the Tower is concerned, so yeah. But we won't see that just yet. Since you all don't want the story to end too soon, I didn't figure you would all mind if we travel elsewhere for bit and return. Thanks to Night Hunter MGS for the ideas being cooked in my brain pan for this. : )_

_And my special shout outs go to two wonderful writers in their own right. First Night Hunter MGS for "**Why**." a fanfic that delves into the emotions of a real world shooting on a campus and the death of a special person there. It is not DA:O but it is worth reading. As are his other works for Anime and games. "Why" made me cry. And to Misame and her DA:O fanfic "**Confessions**." Please go read and review, it is a wonderful story. And the story that like mine is 60+ chapters and counting, titled "**The Night Was Full of Stars**," by the talented Alairis. And if you want a really wonderful, chasing down Alistair after he leaves because you make Loghain a Warden fic, check out Shadow of Light's "**The Hunt,**" here and on the forum for DA:O. On the forum Shadow of Light Dragon is the name, same title. We have such wonderful writing on this site. I am enjoying reading what you write!_

_Shoutouts to TX Ranger, Skyeseeker, and Bingham Vance for reviewing; it really makes my day to see new people. I appreciate that you took time out of your busy day to do this. I can't thank you enough, and reviews really help the author keep on going. Since I couldn't thank you with a personal email, Bingham, thank you so much. : ) And to all of you who put my story on your favs and alerts, my heartfelt appreciation. I only hope I continue to entertain you. : ) And for all of you, everyone, who continue to review and love the story, I am humbled. And as Night Hunter MGS's story "Why" illustrates, it is how you treat the people you care about that shows your love of them. I know this is all the ether of the 'internet,' but I hold you all in such high regard. I know I can't physically show you how much you all mean to me. But you do. I couldn't make this story what it is without you all. Ethereal hugs from me to you. : )_

_And a shout out for part of this story and a plot device that will appear in this chapter to **Night Hunter MGS; **I used his personal experience in the military for the scene with Lorcan. Thanks Chainsaw, aka Night Hunter MGS. : ) And for you, **MouseMage**, a bit of Cullen. : )_

_Again, so sorry this chapter was delayed. I know you all tell me it is worth waiting for, but I feel terrible when I don't have it out as usual. Stupid real life. And ever had a chapter to write that was like pulling teeth? ARG! And I hope to play Awakenings today, but still have chores to do. BLEH! : ) But chores can wait, chapter first, hehe._

_**Blessings!**_

Kai put her hand on Greagoir's shoulder and looked over the edge. From this distance the body looked like a doll for the dollhouse of Highever she had had as a child. It had been given to Father by some noble trying to curry favor. Veyryl's body looked just like one of the little guards that had come with it. His armor shone dimly amongst the black rocks of the island. She felt her belly clench, and her heart tried to make its way into her throat. The wind blew her hair back and pushed at her like an invisible fist. Maker, that was a long way down. Kai turned back to Greagoir, "You do realized that this could come back and bite you in the arse?"

"Let it. There isn't much of an arse to bite anymore, with all that has been going on." Greagoir grinned at her. A great weight seemed to have lifted from the man's shoulders. "He got what was coming to him; it should have been more, but it will do."

Zev's head appeared in the trapdoor before the rest of him followed, climbing nimbly up and out. His easy gait carried him towards them and then to the edge where he too gazed down to the rocks below. He turned toward Greagoir with a wide grin on his face. "I see the errant Templar felt such remorse over his crime that he did the honorable thing and killed himself. How considerate of him." Zev chuckled and clapped a hand on Greagoir's shoulder. The Knight-Commander looked at Zevran and laughed.

"Perhaps we should take ourselves off the roof and find out if anyone else was aware of Veyryl's acts." Greagoir nodded back toward the entrance Zevran had climbed up, and they made their way back down to Irving's office.

Wynne, Argus and Gnat had all opted to stay with Irving. Greagoir explained what had happened with Veyryl. Even Wynne didn't give any signs of disapproval nor a lecture of any sort. Gnat just looked at Greagoir with approval and a glint of respect in her eye. Irving said nothing but came from around his desk, shook Greagoir's hand and embraced him. "Thank you, old friend. I know I should be above such things, but I can't help feel some satisfaction. I doubt with his noble status, bastard or no, that there would have been any consequences for him. I wish I had been there to help you."

"No you don't, old friend. As Kai has pointed out, this is going to bite me in the arse. For you it could have meant The Rite of Annulment. Anora and the Grand Cleric are just that petty. I will not see the Tower that this young woman saved be destroyed because of one bastard rapist." Greagoir smiled at Irving. "Better it land on me."

Kai put one hand each on Greagoir's and Irving's shoulders. "You should know I am not about to let either of you become fodder for either of those two petty wenches. Three if you count The Revered Mother. Or rather, 'The Silver Griffon' isn't about to. We are all in this together, gentlemen." They both nodded at her. "But we do need to start figuring out who might be sympathetic to Anora and the Grand Bitch, and who will be with the 'Griffon.' If we find anyone who knew about what was going on with Drysi, that might be a good start at weeding out the undesirables."

Greagoir went to the door and spoke to the young Templar outside once again. He closed the door and went to one of Irving's cabinets. He turned to Irving with a cocked eyebrow. "May I, my friend?" Irving nodded at him. Greagoir opened it up and came back with a bottle of brown liquid and a short glass. He looked at Kai and the rest. "Irving's secret stash for visitors who might want something stronger than wine. Anyone want some whiskey?" They all shook their heads, and Greagoir poured himself a stiff drink and threw it back as a knock came at the door.

"Come in," Irving bid the person. They all looked at the door to find the Templar Cullen slipping into the room. He stopped, looking confused by the people in the room, but he shut the door and nodded to Irving, then Greagoir. "Hello, my boy. We need your help, Greagoir and I."

"We have a special guest, Cullen. One I know you have met already." Greagoir nodded to Kai. Kai removed her hood and stepped forward. Cullen's eyes got wide.

"My lady, I thought you were dead!" Cullen flushed and looked at the floor as if in shame.

"Well, to Anora and any of her followers, I am. I would like to keep it that way, you understand?" Kai watched as Cullen looked up and nodded.

"I was not as courteous or as grateful as I should have been the last time we met. I..."

Kai cut him off. "You had just been through a terrifying ordeal. I understand." She smiled at him.

"As had you, my lady. Irving and Greagoir told me what had happened to you. And yet you refused to kill any innocents. I would have done so; it shames me, my lady. Irving and I have had long talks about what Uldred did to both of us. I realized I wasn't alone and that mages like him and Niall were all trying, like me, to stop what was happening. I am sorry I did not handle it better." Cullen looked at his feet.

"Nonsense, my dear boy!" Irving gently admonished the Templar as he turned to Kai. "As you can see, Cullen and I are working on not blaming ourselves for what happened and that we couldn't stop it from happening."

Kai smiled and gently touched Cullen on the arm. "Well, maybe when you figure out how to do that, you can teach me?" Cullen looked her in the eyes and laughed, nodding. "It was a horrid experience for all involved. I am glad you are not letting it break you. You are too good a man and a Templar to let it, Ser Cullen." Cullen blushed harder. "We need your help; I need your help. You have heard of 'The Silver Griffon?'"

"Yes, my lady. I traveled to Amaranthine some time back. The Grand Cleric had summoned me there. I saw the devastation from the Blight and the starving people. I had heard the stories of a person called 'The Silver Griffon' working for Ferelden, doing what Anora should have been doing all along. When I got to Amaranthine, the Grand Cleric wanted me to be a part of Anora's private Templar guard. I told the old biddy what I had seen and what I thought of Anora. It did not endear me to the Grand Cleric, The Revered Mother, or Anora. I was subsequently sent back to the Tower along with a group of young men and women who had been neither properly vetted nor trained. I have been helping the Knight-Commander as much as I can to rectify that." With this Cullen drew himself up and squared his shoulders.

"I couldn't do it without him, to tell the truth. It has been a daunting and arduous task as is." Greagoir flashed Cullen a smile. "If he weren't helping me, I would get no sleep at all instead of the four to five hours I do manage to get now. But now I need your help with something else entirely." Greagoir went on to explain to Cullen about Veyryl and Drysi and about the culprit's fall from grace and his fall from the tower.

"We need to know, my dear boy, if there are any Templars in particular that were friends with Veyryl who might have known and looked the other way. I, myself, with Wynne's help," Irving looked to the mage who nodded at him, "will try and find out if there are any other victims from Veyryl's unwanted advances."

Cullen's eyebrows came together in concentration. "A few of the younger rowdies liked to keep company with him, as they too are noble's bastard whelps. Others who aren't nobility hung around for the bragging rights of being part of his group of friends, even if he was the misbegotten spawn of a mistress. But only one Templar in particular was his constant companion. A man named Lorcan. He comes from a poor family. I think he thought that hanging around Veyryl would make some of the nobility rub off on him or garner him some favors. I don't know if he knew what was going on or if he was helping. If they were supposed to be on guard duty, then to slip away to...to do what he was doing, he must have had Lorcan covering for him."

"Which means this Templar, even if he didn't participate, aided and abetted your molester." Zevran's voice was the cold voice of the assassin, and as if from nowhere, one of his small poisoned daggers appeared in his hands and twirled between practiced fingers.

Greagoir looked at Zev with a grimace. "I appreciate your wanting to help with our other Templar, but I would ask that you let me handle it my way. He may not have been aware with whom Veyryl was spending his time. He may have thought that it was with someone older and willing." He raised a hand before anyone could protest. "It does not excuse his lack of discipline nor the fact that he went against the code of conduct we Templars are supposed to adhere to, but we have a way of dealing with it. It will be an opportunity for one of those 'learning moments' for the other new recruits and a stark reminder for the older ones. Cullen would you gather all the Templars in the Tower at the training area? It is large enough to hold us all." Cullen nodded and left the room. "My lady, I know you will want to see and hear this, but I implore you to keep your hood up and stay in the little first-aid atrium off the training area." Kai nodded, and they all made their way down the Tower's levels to file out to the training yard behind the Tower. This yard adjoined the Templars' barracks. Kai and her group quickly found the atrium and settled themselves into positions where they could see the proceedings.

Kai watched as the Templars from the Tower and the barracks all filed out and stood in rows. Greagoir and Cullen stood near in the front of the gathering soldiers. Greagoir waited until all of the Templars were there, then called Lorcan to come forward. He spoke briefly to the young man with a round face and mousy brown hair. From her position, she could not hear what was being said, but she could see the young Templar shake his head as his eyes got wide and his face went pale. Greagoir shook his head, and Kai heard the young man yell, "NO!". Cullen signaled two other Templars forward to grab the young man by the arms. Greagoir turned back to the gathered Templars, pitching his voice so it carried. Kai suspected that was partially for her benefit.

"Templar Veyryl was found guilty of raping one of the mages in the tower. Not only did he force himself on one of them, but she was no more than a child. He has paid the ultimate price for this crime. Lorcan here helped him by covering for him. Lorcan says he did not know it was not a willing tryst nor whom it was with, but that is irrelevant. It is conduct unbecoming in a Templar. We are not only here to protect citizens from the possible abuses of magic, we are also here to protect the mages as well. Veyryl took advantage of being a Templar and abused his power. Lorcan broke a sacred trust by turning a blind eye to what he was doing. He is now stripped of his rank and cast out of the Templars. He is no longer your brother. There is no such person as Lorcan. No one is to look at him; no one is to speak his name ever. He does not exist." Kai watched Lorcan shaking his head and muttering while all of the other Templars immediately stopped looking at him. They all looked through him. Greagoir went to him and removed the sash from around the young man's waist. He took a bottle sitting next to where he had been standing and doused the sash with the liquid in it. Cullen handed him a torch, and Greagoir dropped the sash on the ground and lit it with the torch. As it burned, he took his own sash and dropped it on the flaming pile adding a little more of the contents of the bottle. One by one, the other Templars filed past Lorcan, ignoring him as if he didn't exist, to take their own sashes and add them to the burning pile. Greagoir occasionally added more liquid from the bottle to keep the flames going. Two who had dropped their sashes went to hold Lorcan so those keeping him still could add theirs. When they were finished, they released him to stand in formation. Kai watched as Lorcan went from Greagoir to Cullen to running amongst the others, begging and pleading. They all kept their faces expressionless. Finally, he started to try and grab them, to make them look at him. They kept their arms locked behind their backs, or shoved him away with their shoulders, all the while looking through him or past him.

"Look at me, damn you!" Lorcan was yelling now. Greagoir dismissed them, and the assembled Templars all dispersed to go back to what they had been doing. One Templar had apparently been assigned to get all of Lorcan's belongings together. He dropped a bag on the ground outside the door of the barracks before going back inside and shutting the door, locking it with an audible click. Kai watched as Lorcan pounded on the door, screaming. It was then that Kai and her group quietly went back into the tower and up Irving's office.

Kai found Irving sitting behind his desk with a sad expression while holding a glass of wine. Greagoir was sitting and knocking back another glass of whiskey. "Well, gentleman, I think we had best get back to the inn. I don't want the man I left back in town getting jumpy and riding back to Highever to gather a Scath army, thinking I have been locked in the Tower. It wouldn't go well for you all." Kai smiled. "Irving, Greagoir, it was good to see you again." Kai handed Greagoir one of the Scath disks. "Use this if you need me, Greagoir, or the 'Griffon.' Send it to the barkeep at The Spoiled Princess. He will know how to find me."

"Thank you, dear lady. And I will, and I will tell you to do the same. The rest of the Templars may be Anora's lackeys, but I give you my word, any sent here will be at your disposal. I have a feeling that before all is said and done, you may need us all." Greagoir gave her a small smile. Kai grinned at him, clasping his forearm as he clasped hers. She gave Irving a quick hug.

"It was a pleasure spending time with you gentlemen." Gnat gave them both a small salute, and Argus barked as if in agreement. Zev laughed and nodded at them.

"I will come back tomorrow, Irving, so I can help talk to the other young mages who knew Drysi and see if any others have been victims. Until then, my old friend." Wynne smiled warmly at the Head Enchanter and Greagoir before they all made their way back to the ferry landing.


	63. Chapter 64

**BioWare owns all except the things I made up. But it is all based on the wonderful story by them and Mr. Gaider. : )**

**HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOUSEMAGE! : ) **_I hope you are enjoying Awakenings. Happy birthday, sweetie!_

_So we leave the mage Tower for now. Back to The Spoiled Princess and then back to Highever. We have a special weapon to unveil for Zaeed's brother Rajed and an introduction of Gnat to all of Kai's other friends. Just who might Gnat wind up with? And a little more on the Morrigan and Fergus angle. So on with the show!_

_Oh, when Gnat plays with the ball on a chain weapon, think Gogo in 'Kill Bill.'_

_My shout out for authors goes out to skybound2's story "**A Child Unexpected**." Zev and Sten lovers, it is a must read. And a shout out to mille libre's "**Freely We Serve**." And Xeriana's "**The Long Road**." Now both of these authors have more wonderful stories, so don't forget to check out their others as well. : )_

_And xAmorius, thank you so much for reviewing. I am humbled at your kind words and that you read all 1-59 chapters in one sitting. That means a lot to me, and it tells me you found it entertaining enough to read all together. Wow! I will strive to continue to make it that entertaining all the way through. Your comment in the review about being a lurker, well it shames me. I have not been thanking my lurkers. And I owe all of you an apology. I appreciate your lurking, your reading, your traffic. Thanks to you all too!_

_Thanks to Aileen for reviewing as well! I like it when you make me think about things in a new way. : )_

_For my reviewers, you are the fuel for this author. Like I said, sometimes I have crippling self-doubt, and then I read those reviews, and voila! I am back and typing away. So, I am grateful every day to you all._

_**Blessings!**_

Kai and her group made it back to The Spoiled Princess just as dusk was settling in. They met up with Jarren who looked very nervous when they met him on the docks and much relieved when they all walked through the door to the common room. Oghren was still absent. According to Jarren he had been gone all day, as had Felsi. Zev had chuckled at this. Kai and the rest sat themselves down at the table, with Argus slipping under it to lie on Kai's feet where she could rub him with her boot.

Once the girl who was on serving duty had taken their orders for various drinks and had agreed to bring them the inn's meal of the evening, Kai explained what had happened at the Tower to Jarren. It was as she had figured. Jarren, having finished his rounds about the town, had picked up the weapons and armor that Kai had brought with them, including the new weapon for Rajed with an extra creation based off of Kai's drawings from Talan the smith. He had come back, deposited everything and then spent his time on the dock watching the Tower. He had first gathered a pile of pebbles and stones and spent his time skipping them on the water. He had then inspected all of his weapons and sharpened his daggers until he could split a hair with them. When that had been completed and there was still no boat, he had begun getting mugs of ale while he watched across the water. Three ales in and he realized he might be pissed faced before the boat ever showed.

It was right before he had seen the speck of the boat in the distance that he had actually started contemplating exactly what Kai had been afraid of. He had been about to saddle up his Ceffyl and ride back to Highever to get the Scath there. His overwhelming sense of relief was as plain in his face as it was in his voice as he described seeing the boat returning across the lake. Kai again felt humbled that she commanded his loyalty, and concern, in such a way.

She was spared from embarrassing him even slightly by noticing his relief when the serving girl set down a platter with a couple of loaves of bread, a knife, a bowl of butter, and then set bowls of stew in front of them. She had even included a bowl for Argus, which she placed under the table. She then went back to the bar to get their drinks. Kai had not realized how famished she was until the smell of the freshly baked bread and savory stew hit her nose. Soon, the table was filled with the sounds of food being scooped up and bread being cut.

Finally, bowls were pushed back and a comfortable silence fell upon them as they drank and watched firelight light up the room. Wynne was the first to scrape back her chair and bid them all a good evening. She was going to read and go to bed, she informed them, since she was going back to the Tower in the morning to help Irving speak to the other mages and see if there were any other victims. Kai couldn't help but take the opportunity to tease her as she started to leave. "Reading _The Rose of Orlais_ again, Wynne? You're going to wear the binding out." She grinned at the mage's retreating back, before Wynne turned around when she got to the door at the top of the stairs.

"Watch it, young woman, or I might offer Zevran a chance at this bosom, and _you _can read it to get to sleep." Wynne wrinkled her nose and grinned before stepping through the door to go to the rooms. Zevran shot her a sidelong glance and a sly smile.

"Don't even think about it." Kai grinned at him. He only chuckled, and Gnat and Jarren laughed. It wasn't long before they all followed Wynne's example and headed off to their respective rooms.

The next morning Kai decided to take the new weapons Talan made and test them out while waiting for Wynne to get back from the mage Tower. She had the others and herself all packed up and ready to go once Wynne returned. Kai wanted to get back to Highever and see her babies. Not to mention the fact that the others would want to see her after her dance with the ogre.

She made her way to the open space in front of the inn and positioned herself closer to the lake. She wanted to be well away from any obstructions, like the covered storage area, the inn's wall, and any people who might come out of the doorway. Kai inspected both the weapons Talan had created for Rajed. One was the curved, almost sickle-like blade she had asked for. The other was a ball with a crevice bisecting the middle of it horizontally. Jarren had told her to give the ball a quick short jerk of the chain, and blades would slide out of the crevice. Another quick pull and the blades would retract. Jarren had told her that Talan was particularly pleased with his bit of dwarven engineering.

Kai gave the ball a quick snap of the chain and small thin blades emerged layered like scales, the thin, razor-sharp blades supporting each other. "That is a nasty little piece of work." Zev's voice came from her right as he came through the inn's door, setting a leather bag down under the bench. He loped over to her to look at the ball more closely. "I wonder if our dwarven friend has some assassin in him. Those blades could easily be poisoned. It is ingenious, no?" He grinned at her and took the weapon, giving it a quick flick with his wrist and watching the blades disappeared into their inner recesses once more. He shook his head in amazement. "I think it is best you don't practice with this one just yet until you have figured out the moves which go with the chain, no? The blade has a thick leather sheath, the most you may do is bruise yourself. This may break your nose or slice it off, and I find your nose too attractive to allow that to happen. I find it an adorable part of the whole irreplaceable package." He gave her a low chuckle and a raised eyebrow before kissing her and going to sit on the bench outside the inn door. He grabbed the bag he had set under the bench and began to remove daggers, some honing oil, and his whetstone.

Before taking the weapon up, Kai began by performing warm up exercises. She stretched, kicked, blocked and punched until a nice little sweat had worked up on her skin. She finished the "quata," a series of prescribed moves, and picked up the weapon Talan had created from her drawings. Kai made sure the sheath was secure on the blade. She didn't want to hurt anyone, including herself.

The set of kicks and twirls that she was going to try with the chained blade were usually done open handed. The Qun monks didn't fight with weapons, as they weren't allowed to handle any. This would be the first time she would attempt to add spinning a blade with the movements of a quata called "The Dance of the Dust Devil." Since Rajed had about half of his upper arm left, she figured that he would be able to use the stump in part to guide the chain as long as he kept the chest and shoulder muscles limber. The ability to use it would come with a lot of practice, of course. However, most of his control of the chain would come from his legs, his good arm, his torso and even his neck. Kai wanted to try and work with it with her two good arms and the movements before trying to tie her forearm to her upper arm in an approximate imitation of Rajed's physical limitations.

She began by spinning the blade around at first to get a feel for the weight and the way it moved. Slowly she began adding the spinning of the chain and the blade with the kicks and spins of the quata. Her first attempts were gawky, uncoordinated and had the blade flying off in all directions or hitting her in various places. She was going to be black and blue before she was done. Eventually, though, her body and her brain started to coordinate better and the moves with the chain started to come together. Kai stopped, taking a break and leaning her hands on her knees sweating, her breath coming in little pants. It was then she noticed that Gnat had been leaning up against the wall of the inn eating an apple and watching her. "That is a fascinating weapon. How did you come up with the idea?"

"One of my Scath lost..." Kai still felt a roll of nausea when she thought of it. "He lost his arm when a bomb was thrown on our camp. I designed this weapon for him to use with these moves so he could still fight. And now that I have gotten my body to coordinate a weaponless fighting style with a weapon, I need to tie my arm down so I can get a better feel for how Rajed is going to work with this." Kai went to Zev who handed her a mug of water. She figured from her shoulder to her elbow would be longer than Rajed's stump, but it would give her at least a semblance of his arm. When Kai had finished, she handed Zev the mug back, and they both turned to find Gnat with the ball and chain, spinning it. "Gnat be careful! A quick jerk on the chain and blades will be activated."

Gnat just grinned and nodded. Her fighting style was different, more acrobatic, but she had apparently been watching Kai, and the moves she did mirrored the Qun, but with few fluid arm and leg movements of an unknown origin, and a slow walk while she spun the chain in arcs over her head. Gnat was very limber. She spun the chain with the ball around then did a high kick wrapping the chain around her leg letting it unwind in a glittering arc spinning so fast that the ball was a blur. She then lashed out with a swift kick and the ball shot across the open ground to hit the post of the outside storage shed with a meaty smack that left a scar of white, new wood showing on the weathered surface. Before it had even finished hitting the wood, Gnat had spun using her body and the torque to bring it back and wrap it across her shoulders only to bend and spin in such a way that it launched away from her body again to hit the post with a resounding crack, causing the post to groan and dirt to fall from the rafters of the storage. She spun the ball back and gave it a quick jerk; the blades slid out and Gnat spun the chain in her hand, around her bent elbows, under her leg again, across the back of her neck, to spin and let the ball launch to the post where it buried the blades as far in as they would go. The way she had played with it had looked like a dance. It was almost erotic. Kai looked at Zev whose amber eyes were wide.

"Well, it looks like our bard friend is a very fast learner, no?" Zev grinned at Kai.

"I think she needs to teach me. And I think we have found the person to use that weapon." Kai laughed. Gnat walked back to them after retrieving the ball and snapping it so the blades retracted once again. She smiled and handed it back to Zevran.

"I worked as an acrobat in a special form of entertainment for the nobility. As a bard, it was an ideal cover for me to spy on any of Celene's nobles who might cause her troubles. This particular style of acrobatics involves a lot of props such as hoops, and we used balls on thin ropes that we could make dance as we danced. This weapon reminds me of those props, but with far more nasty results, of course." Gnat grinned. "I haven't had that much fun in a while."

Zevran looked at Kai with a raised eyebrow, cocking his head at Gnat. Kai nodded as she looked at Gnat with a wide smile. "I believe this belongs to you then, my dear," and he handed it back to Gnat. "Kai and I would love for you to train us on it." Gnat laughed and nodded.


	64. Chapter 65

**BioWare owns all except for all the characters and things made up by me. : )**

_Well, we have our newest toy in the arsenal to go with our newest member. Again a shout out to "Kill Bill' and the character Gogo. And a shout out to Wild Wild West, the original TV show, not the horrid movie version. SPOILERS: And of course we all know the Blight is over, but why are the darkspawn not retreating? Those of you who are playing Awakening and have read Mr. Gaider's fine works know why of course. Kai and her group get another chance to dance the Remigold and not in pretty dresses, in a 'funny thing happened on the way to Highever' if I were to give this chapter a title. Maybe I should have like so many do. But alas, I did not think of clever names._

_And I know it bothered you, Aileen. But I am going to leave the age of consent in Ferelden as 16. This may be a world based on Medieval England and Scotland but it isn't Medieval England or Scotland. It is a fantasy world based on that type of world. And I am not comfortable making the age of consent any younger than that. But I do appreciate the feedback! I hope that it does not put you off the story entirely. So on with our zany wild ride._

_Author shout outs go to BloodandDiamonds' '**Masquerade**,' and one of my favorite shorts for the Cousland noble/Rendon Howe story arc '**Bryce's Little Spit Fire**.' And phoenixandashes' '**A New Kind of Bravery**,' which is a Cousland loses Ali to the Archdemon and what comes after story and it is so good. SPOILER story for those who haven't played Awakening yet. Igrayne01 has written a wonderful Nathaniel Howe and Cousland romance titled '**Uncommon Ground**.' Fractured Luna has a romance Cousland Fem/ Ser Gilmore, for all of you whose hearts went pitty pat for the handsome shy redhead in the noble origin, titled '**From One Knight to Another**.' Miri1984 has a wonderful story titled '**Consequences**,' a unique plot where Alistair and the fem Cousland leave their son Duncan to rule, and I won't spoil what happens, it has twists, go read it. : ) All of these authors have many, many wonderful stories besides these mentioned here. I wish I had time to read them all, but if I did, I would never get my own written, the same for you all no doubt. LOL! And yes I know I may make you take time away from reading this one and reviewing, but still, I want to give back good energy and love to others. : )_

_Thank you all so much for reviews, for emails of ideas, for lurking, for adding my story to favs and alerts, and for the traffic. I am not sure if I am reading all the stats, but they look good to me, and I get a tickle out of the bar graphs. You all keep driving the little bars way up. And this has only been up since January. And it is all because of you guys. I never forget that. Every day, I thank my lucky stars. So you all rock my socks off. I want to name all of you again here, but there are so many of you all now. I hope that doesn't sound like bragging, because it is all you guys, I cannot take the credit. You all take the time out of your busy days, that you could be spending doing something else. That you spend even a little of your precious time reading my fic is amazing to me. I am humbled._

_And a lot of love to Phoenix Fire Lady, and Night Hunter MGS aka Chainsaw and Lisette57. Lis, your recent review made my heart go all a flutter and made me blush, thank you. I am so glad I can paint a picture for you! NH and PFL you both crack me up. Your reviews are wonderful, and the personal emails you send just give me giggles of delight and great ideas too. Oh and PFL, it tickled me pink when you suggested sending me cookies (like Sten, I like cookies, the cake is a lie) to help keep me writing, sans the occasional nap. I love writing for you all, as well as for me. : )_

_Oh, I just have to say, rogues do it from behind! ROFL!: )_

_Blessings!_

It was not long after the practice session with the new weapons that Wynne returned. The good news was that Drysi was the only victim; there had been others he had chatted up, but he had not forced himself on them. Kai was extremely grateful, as were Irving, Greagoir, and Wynne herself. More victims would have made things even more complicated, not to mention having to confront the additional emotional anguish.

Kai paid the innkeeper and pulled up the hood of her cloak and put the veil across her face. It was one thing to have her face exposed here, but on the road was another thing all together. The others saddled the Ceffyls while Wynne packed and gathered what little she had brought with her in her run from Highever to get to Kai's side. Luckily, Gnat had no problem riding so she would ride in front of Jarren. Kai lost the coin toss between her and Zev on who would have Oghren sitting up front. He gave her a sly smile and a wink. She narrowed her eyes at him; she suspected him of cheating somehow. He only gave her a low chuckle and a kiss. And after a very public and somewhat disturbing display of affection between Oghren and Felsi, Zev and Jarren got Oghren settled up in front of her. Kai took a tentative sniff. He actually didn't smell as bad as he usually did. "Felsi made you take a bath, didn't she!" Kai giggled.

"Bah, Felsi and I did the aquatic Rhumba, Warden. You should try it in the bathtub some time."

"I still say she tricked you into taking a bath." Kai teased him. "I think the sex was her way of getting you in the tub."

"Sodding women, you are all tricky wenches!" Oghren growled at her.

Kai laughed at him. "I think I should send her a present. I am just glad you and Felsi got to be together, Oghren." She patted his shoulder consolingly. Kai turned Luna towards the road once the others were all mounted and ready to go. Kai said goodbye to Felsi, and they rode off through the town, waving back at the villagers who were waving to them. Timothy motioned for them to stop before they had gotten to the edge of town.

"My lady, I can't thank you enough for what you did. Your man Jarren came with the news this morning. I think it did Drysi a lot of good. That Templar can no longer hurt her. Nila said that the girl fell asleep without bad dreams for the first time. Poor thing has been exhausted with fear. Nila made these for you." Timothy handed Kai a bag which, when she opened it, she discovered it contained food wrapped up for their trip, including a whole pile of cookies. Sten would be so disappointed if they ate them all. She made a note to save some of the cookies for him. She had reason to know that Nila made some of the best in all of Ferelden.

She smiled at him. "Give Nila our thanks. The Silver Griffon will be back." He took the bag and put it in her saddlebag for her before giving her hand a squeeze.

"Goodbye, my lady." Timothy waved and smiled as they left to take the North Road to Highever.

They stuck to the North road as the terrain was rocky and too hard for the Ceffyls to try to pick their way across land. The sunshine sparkled, and a slight breezed kept the sun from making them too warm. A lovely day for a ride, if this were any ordinary day, in an ordinary world where there weren't bad things going on. She should have known it wouldn't last.

They were almost on top of them before they realized it. It was the green bolt of magic cast by the emissary that hit Luna, causing the mare to stumble to her knees with a screeching, high-pitched whinny that startled Kai out of her inner musings. The hissing and low grumbling laughter made it clear that there was a large group of darkspawn in the middle of the road. Kai and Oghren both went pitching over the mare's head, tumbling to the ground. Kai tucked in her shoulders and rolled with it coming to her feet while drawing her daggers in one fluid motion. Oghren may have been less graceful but he too rolled and was up and running to Luna, who had gotten back on her feet, to grab his battle axe which was strapped to the saddle.

Kai instantly started to do an assessment of the battleground and how many they had to deal with. Adrenaline flooded her system, making time slow down and everything come into sharp focus. Since she could no longer sense them, it was harder to do a complete count of what they were up against. Besides the hurlock emissary, she counted two genlock alphas along with a large number of assorted genlock and hurlock warriors and a couple of archers. The group didn't include any Shrieks, the darkspawn rogues that could hide until they sprang on their victim in surprise with the shrill wail that was their namesake.

Kai felt her heart beating with more than adrenaline. Maker, so many and in broad daylight too. And not just one alpha or emissary capable of human speech and with enough brain power to lead, but three? The alphas and emissaries were common only during a Blight. What, by Andraste's flaming knickers, was going on here? Alistair had killed the Archdemon. She had watched him do it. He was in the Fade as proof that it had been done. By all the information, and granted neither Duncan nor Ali nor Riordan had been able to tell her much Warden lore, but by all accounts the darkspawn should have retreated to the Deep Roads, leaving only a few stragglers.

"I don't know, my love. They shouldn't be doing this." Alistair's voice sounded with fear and worry in her ear.

"Well, I think someone failed to tell them about what they are supposed to be doing." Kai mused back at him trying to use humor to bite back the almost overwhelming fear she was feeling. The whole situation was sending alarm bells off inside her head. Suddenly, time sped up again and she was too busy to worry it over further.

Kai felt rather than saw Zev ride past her to her left on Rhia to rush one of the alphas. Kai heard Rhia scream in a Ceffyl battle cry, and she heard a sickening thump and a squall of pain as a hoof heavily shod with dwarven steel connected with the genlock alpha. From the hollow meaty sound, Kai figured the blow was to the creature's head. Ceffyls like Rhia were battle trained, they knew to hit vulnerable points on an enemy. Kai was once again grateful for the Ceffyls, and not just because they kept her from having to walk everywhere.

Gnat had jumped down from in front of Jarren and taken out her newest weapon, giving it a quick little jerk on the chain and spinning it in a blur over her head, the blades making a high whirring sound. Jarren followed Zev's path and took his Ceffyl to the archers who found themselves on the front and back end of a battle-trained Ceffyl who used strong backwards kicks with heavily muscled legs and sharp strong Ceffyl teeth from the front. The high pitched, hissing screams told Kai they were sorry indeed to come across such a foe. Bran, Wynne's Ceffyl, stayed alert and ready to keep the mage safe while she cast healing spells on the group. Argus had already carried himself into the fray against a couple of hurlocks. Zev and Jarren had jumped off their Ceffyls and drawn their blades. Rhia and even the wounded Luna were like Argus, capable of killing on their own. And they went to it. That left Kai and Oghren to fight against the emissary.

It was Oghren with his natural dwarven resistance to magic who took the hurlock head on, swinging his heavy, two-handed battle axe in wide arcs. Any spells that landed on him seemed to tickle, if his giggling was anything to go by. Kai memories harkened back to the old days in the Deep Roads when they had fought side by side looking for Branka, his late wife. Kai, using her rogue skills, took the emissary from behind. She managed to stun the emissary for a short period, giving Oghren time to slice the creature as it stumbled around dazed. Kai's poisoned blades were cutting into the leathery, mummified muscles from behind. Finally enough poison had worked its way through the hurlock's system that Oghren was able to swing and send its head flying in a spray of red blood.

Oghren turned and went to fight with Zev and Jarren, who were fighting a group of hurlocks. Kai turned and looked for Gnat to see the bard twirling the weapon and facing off against a hurlock who looked huge in comparison to the diminutive elf. She calmly continued to spin the ball, and as the hurlock rushed her, she let it fly so the chain wrapped itself around the darkspawn's neck and the ball hit the tree behind it, lodging itself in the bark. Gnat wrapped the chain around her elbow, snapping it tighter. Kai could hear crunching noises as the chain crushed the hurlock's throat, its screaming hiss cut off as Gnat wrapped the chain around her bent arms and tightened it even more. Once she got close, Gnat suddenly tapped the toe of one boot sharply on the heel of the other and a large, sharp blade slid out. She plunged the blade into the hurlock's eye before slicing it across the throat above the chain deeply enough to almost sever its head. Blood sprayed and the body went limp, held up only by the tension of the chain.

It was then Kai heard the sharp, painful cries of a mortally wounded dog. _Sod it, Argus!_ Kai and Gnat turned to find Argus set upon by two shrieks, one of which used a long claw to impale the Mabari while Argus was occupied with the other shriek. Kai watched in horror as the Shriek ripped its claw down Argus's side causing blood to spray and the dog to scream in high pitched yelps. Gnat unwound her chain and gave a sharp tug causing the blades to retract so she could release it from the tree.

Kai was already running toward the shrieks, yelling to get their attention. They turned toward her, but Argus was lying on his side not moving. She took them both on heedless of the danger in such an action. "Kai, duck!" Gnat's voice yelled over the shrieks' wails. She had just a second to duck before Gnat's weapon sliced both shrieks across their throats, the bladed ball making a whirring sound as it sailed past her. One tried to hide, but Gnat's weapon was already spinning to wrap itself around the shriek's neck while the bladed ball embedding itself in the creature's throat, the high pitched keening turning to gurgles. That left Kai with the one in front of her. She executed a double-handed swipe to its torso, then took a step back and spun to deliver a back-handed sweep, taking its head off.

Kai didn't watch as it sailed off, she was already putting her hands over Argus's gaping wound, hot blood pouring out between her fingers. He whined a little. "Wynne!" Kai practically screamed for the mage who spurred Bran over to them. She jumped off and quickly raised the Mabari's head to tip a health potion into his mouth. When that was finished, her hands glowed with power as she put them on the deepest wound. Kai could feel the blood flow slowing with the healing draught. As Wynne's hands moved the length of the gash she could feel the skin and muscles slowly knitting back together under her fingers.

"There, we can't let him walk back to Highever, and he is going to need to rest for a week or so, but I think he will be all right, child. I will like it better if we can get him back to the castle and keep him still." Wynne smiled and put a hand out to pet Argus's head. He responded by licking the mage's hand in thanks and whining again weakly. Jarren stood next to Gnat and Oghren who had managed to finish off the hurlocks. It was Zev who bent down and put an arm around her shoulders while patting Argus gently.

"It would no doubt be best if we get on the move. I think we can lay Argus across Bran's shoulders in front of Wynne, no?" Zev looked at the mage who nodded. "Luna got hit by the Emissary's spell, Wynne, so we need you to see to her." Wynne nodded and got back up to look at the Ceffyl. She soon indicated that the mare was fit to travel. Gnat and Jarren had looked over the bodies of the darkspawn and looted anything off of them that could be useful or sold. When everything that could be packed away was, Wynn mounted Bran who had readily agreed to carry Argus. Kai and Zev and Jarren gently lifted the Mabari and draped his big body over the shoulders of the stallion and used rope to secure him, gently as they could, in place. They passed around a health potion, sharing it amongst them as none had any severe injuries. Then, they were back on the road and on their way. Kai was happy to put the corpses and the fetid smell of their blood as far behind her as she could. She could only be grateful that there was no ogre this time.

Kai always loved Highever. She felt a great sense of relief when she saw it in the distance and even more cheer when they neared the front gates. They rode into the courtyard. Kai had guards grab a blanket to make a stretcher for Argus; she ordered him cleansed of darkspawn blood and taken to her room. Bran watched carefully as Argus was placed on the stretcher. When he was satisfied Argus would be properly cared for, he turned to a stable hand and allowed himself to be led away. She patted Luna, thanking her for her help. The Ceffyl snuffled her before she let the stable hand take her and get her settled.

She, of course, found herself surrounded by concerned friends and had to explain that the blood on all of them was from a recent attack, not the one from a couple of days past. She found she was just exhausted, and after reassuring them she begged to be allowed to go and take a bath. Her brother Fergus gave her a quick hug. Kai noticed a strange look passing between Morrigan and Fergus. She was frankly too tired to try and figure out. She hobbled off to her room only to find that Morrigan had shadowed her. Kai figured the witch, who was inordinately fond of Argus (not that she would ever admit to it) was worried about the big Mabari. She had always denied ever sneaking him treats or throwing sticks for him when they were fighting the Blight, but Kai knew better. Kai pointedly never mentioned the time she had found the witch coming out of the butchers at Denerim with a bag full of bones for a spell, she had been told. It turned out to be the spell woven by one sad-eyed dog who turned up with said bones on multiple nights around camp. Kai snorted at the memory.

When they got to her room, she walked in and Morrigan followed, shutting the door with an audible snap. Kai went to the tub and turned on the water to fill it. "Argus is getting a bath. It will be some time before they bring him up here, sister. If you are worried about him, I think you can safely sneak down to the stables and check on him without the others seeing. Your secret love of the 'flea ridden mongrel,' will still be our little secret." Kai grinned as Morrigan knew full well everyone else knew but pretended they didn't.

The witch didn't smile back. "I am worried about the dog. But 'tis not why I followed you up here." Morrigan began to pace. Kai had never seen her so agitated before.

"Oh-kay, would you like to tell me what it is that seems to have put a bee in your bonnet?" Kai watched Morrigan run her fingers through her bangs and blow out a gust of air.

"'Tis your brother." Morrigan wheeled around her golden eyes wide.

"OK, I'll bite, what did the sodding idiot do now?" Kai grinned at her.

"'Tis a certainty that he is insane." Morrigan's hands jerked into fists at her side.

"Well, that certainly has never come up. He is usually as dependable as the sunrise." Kai was really confused now. "What's made you think he is a few marbles shy of a full bag?"

"He has declared his love for me!" Morrigan looked completely horrified. Her eyes were wide and her face paler than usual. Kai couldn't help it; she burst out laughing so hard that she fell off her bed and rolled on the floor.


	65. Chapter 66

**BioWare owns all except everything I made up. : )**

_Well, I hope you all enjoyed the action packed, WTH moment with the darkspawn who are not behaving the way they are supposed to after a Blight is over. And yes, a shameless pull at your heartstrings letting the "filthy mongrel," as Morrigan likes to call him, get hurt. And then there is Morrigan's little bombshell. ROFL. So, some girl talk is in order, which you know Morrigan is going to love so much. Especially when it involves two of Morrigan's favorite women in all of Thedas, the Mage and the Bard. Oh yes, hilarity should ensue. Or at least it will if I write it well enough. : )_

_As this is a Morrigan heavy chapter, a shout out goes to beanball's "**Orbs of Aristani**." His portrayal of Morrigan is wonderful. It is a Warden/ Morrigan pairing set after the Blight. He has her personality nailed. He keeps her true to her essential nature, while letting her grow, change, and become more rich and real. I really like it, so it is a must read if you are a Morrigan fan, not to mention the plot is exciting and fun. And Swoopers will be pleased with his Ali, and Leli lovers will like his version of the redhead. Please, give it a read. And "**Bloodlines**" by TXRanger, a very well done noble origin with more meat and personal twist. Please give it love too. : )_

_A shout out to Night Hunter MGS for a great idea from his review! I just had to use it, my clever friend. : )_

_And thank you all, lurkers, reviewers, and the people who put my story on favs and alerts. I can't tell you all how much I appreciate it. Just today my story got added as a fav and for alerts by new people, to you all my sincerest gratitude too. You all make it so much fun to write. : )_

_Blessings!_

"'Tis no laughing matter! Did you not hear what I said? The man is insane!" Kai was laughing so hard tears were pouring out of her eyes and her ribs hurt. "One would think his own sister would be more concerned about this...this debacle!" Kai sneaked a look at the witch from under wet lashes. Morrigan was pale except for two flaming red spots high on her cheeks, her hands were clenched in fists, and she was tapping one black-leather boot toe on the stone floor.

Before Kai could answer, there was a knock at the door, and it opened without the person on the other side waiting for an invitation to enter. Leliana, carrying Schmooples in her arms, came in and was followed by Wynne who had her bag of healing potions, bandages and the like. Wynne shut the door with a little click before going to the table and setting the bag down. Kai knew for a fact that Wynne was using bandages as an excuse to join in on what was going on. And Leliana was a spy, trained to watch and observe. Kai suspected Leli might know more about what was happening with Morrigan and Fergus than she herself did.

"I doubt that, my love, remember the dream I interrupted? It was on the romantic side, not the steamy side, thank the Maker. I think witchy-poo is in lo-ove." Alistair's voice sounded with mirth. Kai gave him a mental smirk. Before Kai could comment back, she was interrupted by Leli.

"Oh, Fergus isn't insane. He is in love with you." Leliana set Schmooples down, patting the nug before clasping her hands in front of her chest, looking like a little girl presented with a new doll. "Isn't it wonderful?"

"Isn't it a miracle?" Wynne's acerbic tone broke in.

"I believe I was having a private conversation with my _sister_, in case you and the dimwit didn't notice the door was closed. Closed is the state in which the door prevents one from seeing into the room." The witch added helpfully. Morrigan then crossed her arms in front of her chest as she addressed the two newcomers.

"Aw, don't be like that, Morri. It has been obvious how you and Fergus feel about each other." Leliana bounced up and down and smiled a brilliant smile while batting her eyelashes at the witch. Leli knew how much Morrigan hated the bard's shortening of her name. She especially liked to do once she figured out how much it annoyed the witch. "He obviously adores you! He is handsome, funny, sweet, kind, and the Teyrn of Highever. What more can a girl ask for?"

"Bah! 'Tis amazing you notice the sun rise, bubble head that you are." Morrigan narrowed her eyes at the pretty bard. Anyone else might have run from that look. Kai called it "Morrigan's Stare of the Basilisk." It used to give Alistair, in particular, the sudden urge to go to his tent or up a tree or into a lake – anywhere to get away from the witch when she stared like that.

"It still makes me want to run and hide, and I am in the Fade!" Kai could feel Alistair's shudder. "I think this is where I go and play chess with your father. Even being interrogated by your mother would be better. Good luck, my love."

"Coward," Kai teased him.

"Definitely, I admit it! Love you!" And then he was gone. Kai laughed harder, and Morrigan rounded on her. Kai held up her hands in surrender. "I was laughing at Alistair, I swear. You scared him away, sister."

"Well, at least something is going right for me today." Morrigan's brows drew down further in a scowl. Kai picked herself up from the floor and dusted herself off. She went to the tub and turned off the hot water and turned on the cool, adding bath salts and mixing the water.

"I am going to take a bath while we talk. I want this blood off of me." Kai started undressing and got into the bath, grabbing the scrub brush and some scented soap. "And as for my brother falling in love with you, I did notice you two snogging in the Great Hall. So, why is this such a surprise?"

"'Snogging' as you call it, yes. I had expected him to sleep with me. Am I not young? Am I not beautiful? Other men have wanted this body. But your insufferable brother merely kisses me. I have tried to get the man into bed, and he tortures me with refusal after refusal." Morrigan began to pace. "He does these amazing things with his mouth on mine, and his tongue..."

"WHOA! HOLD IT!" Kai motioned for a time out before sticking her fingers in her ears. "La-la-la-la can't hear you! Andraste's flaming knickers, I need Oghren's special brew to help me do a mental wipe, now. Ugh!" Leliana giggled with her hands over her mouth as she sat at the table in the room. Even Wynne let out a low chuckle. "So, he just kisses you? And then, Maker I may regret asking this, what?"

"And then nothing!" Morrigan flapped her hands. "He deposits me at my bedroom door. Then next day I find a gift of some sort in my room or on the door or by my plate at breakfast, lunch, or supper. 'Tis always something I will like. A jewelry box on my nightstand, a bracelet on the door handle, a pendant in my empty plate, a hair comb hidden in my napkin. He takes me for walks around Highever, or we go for rides. He sits with me in the garden and reads to me. I had thought he might want to have sex away from the prying eyes and the busybodies that abound in this place." Morrigan looked a pointedly at Leli and Wynn as she said this. "But 'tis not his plan. 'Tis most maddening!" Morrigan again stood before Kai with her arms crossed and a scowl on her beautiful face. "'Tis my conclusion that your brother is insane and wishes to drive me so as well." Morrigan hugged herself tightly. "When I confronted him on this vexatious behavior, 'tis then he told me he is in love with me."

Kai laughed as did Leliana and Wynne. "Yes, I see the evil monster's plan! Hanging is too good for him!" Kai grinned at the witch.

"He isn't taunting you, nor is he trying to drive you insane, child. He is courting you. He is sparking with you, he..." Wynne was interrupted by the pretty bard.

"Oh Morri, he is trying to win your heart," Leliana giggled in delight. Morrigan' s eyes got wider.

"What in the world would the man need with that when he can have this body in pleasure? 'Tis foolish to want love! Especially from one such I." Morrigan blushed and looked down. _Aha_, Kai understood now. Morrigan was afraid. So, Kai pointed out to her sister that she was afraid that she was unworthy, afraid she would disappoint Fergus and that he would leave her. Just as she had been afraid that Kai would die and Morrigan would lose the only person who had loved her for herself. Until now, it seemed. Ah, apparently loving the witch was a Cousland family pastime, now. "Then 'tis proof, 'tis a Cousland family mental illness. You are both mad! I don't want to be in love, so 'tis certain that I am _not_ in love!" And then she did something Kai had only seen her do when they had been reunited. Morrigan's eyes started to fill with tears. "He will just wake up one day and realize that he is a fool and cast me away."

Kai got out of the bath and dried herself off, wrapping the towel around her before going to Morrigan and putting her arms around the witch's slender shoulders. "I can assure you, he will not send you away. I have not sent you away, why would he?" Kai just kissed her hair. "Morrigan, you deserve to be loved, and I have always loved you, even when you left. I may have been angry, but I have never stopped loving you, my sister. It might be a good thing for you if you stop treating everyone, and the world at large, as if we are all Flemeth. Your mother is a right royal, demonic, self-centered bitch. And quite frankly she never deserved a daughter as wonderful as you. I didn't befriend you because of your powers, even though they were sorely needed. You can rest assured that Fergus does not love you because of anything you can give him or do for him. He is trying to prove that to you. He, like me, wants you for you and nothing else. And that scares you because you think so little of yourself, despite your ego in other areas. I think you are afraid of seeing the real Morrigan and not the one Flemeth tried to make you into, a powerful sack to be filled." Kai hugged her tighter. "Besides the snogging, I did notice you two talk a lot. Did he tell you about Oriana and Oren?" Morrigan nodded.

"What if I come up wanting? How can I compare to a nice Antivan girl who was raised in polite society? 'Tis not how I was raised. I spent my time in the Wilds. I will be the ruin of him! He cannot have me around those other foolish nobles and their fluffy bits of wives. I care not what they think of me, but 'twould look badly on him 'twould it not? I cannot let him do that!" Morrigan fisted her hands in her lap. "'Twill not be I who causes him to fall out of favor. I will not let that happen!"

Kai grabbed Morrigan's hands and made her unclench them. "Morrigan, my family, Fergus included, never cared what the other nobles thought. That nice Antivan girl he married? It was a huge scandal at the Landsmeet. He had turned away all the nobles' daughters in favor of an outsider. He had married a foreigner from a country filled with hired assassins, no less. He had put a non-Ferelden one seat away from the throne. They all took it as an insult, believe me. But he met her and fell in love with her. And he married her with my parents' and my blessings. It all blew over in the end, other than the occasional snide comment at the parties or Landsmeets we had to go to. But my family never gave a tinker's damn what those other blowhards or their simpering little wives thought. So if marrying and Antivan over a Ferelden girl didn't ruin him, then marrying you won't either. And you forget, Anora won't be queen if we have anything to do with it."

Morrigan leapt up from the bed, her eyes even wider. "Who says I want to marry the man?" And the witch spun around and began pacing again.

Kai decided on a different tactic. She widened her eyes, raised an eyebrow at Wynne and Leli, and then nodded her head at Morrigan's back. "Well, I suppose you're right, sister. I mean who would want that lame-brained brother of mine. You know he is one of the most annoying creatures in all of Thedas."

Leli took her cue. "Oh, I don't know. I think he is one of the most wonderful men I have ever met. If Morrigan isn't interested, well I certainly am." Leli batted her lashes while making fanning motions with her hands. "I am definitely setting out lures. I bet he has great hands, and Morri says he is a great kisser." Kai felt herself blushing. Oh Maker, what had she started? These were not the mental images she wanted of her brother. Did she say Oghren's special brew? Sod that, she was going to need the hard stuff, lichen ale all the way. "But I think he is fantastic. I bet I could get him to marry me instead."

Morrigan's face had the basilisk look again, but it was layered with a colder fury than Kai had ever seen. The witch's hands were glowing with a blue flame. "If you even so much as look at him, you red-haired, fuzzy-brained trollop, I will set you on fire and then will take your ashes and piss on them."

"Um, Morrigan?" Kai asked her softly while looking at the witch's face and then deliberately at her hands, flickering with an angry cobalt energy. "You know what this means don't you?" Kai took a chance and grinned at her sister.

"Damn and blast! I _am_ in love with him!"


	66. Chapter 67

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_I am so **SORRY** for the fake chapter, I couldn't resist. I have never done a prank like that, and I promise never to do it again. Really love you guys, I hope this makes up for my silliness. I will try and get out two chapters on Saturday to make up for it. : ) This is the real chapter! And for Tanith who said I forgot my evil laugh on the fake chapter. MUHAHAHAH-ack-hack-uk. OK, I am so not good at that. I feel terribly guilty for my prank. And E will confess, I can't even play the evil in DA:O, seriously. I just can't do it. And for those I punked in other countries whose April Fool's Day was over, triple the Mea Culpas. **/blush **I would blame the lack of sleep due to staying up late and writing. But I took a two hour nap, and then I decided to do a prank, bah! So it is all on me. /sheepish grin_

_So, poor Morrigan – she has now confessed to herself what everyone else had already figured out. Her first love too. And of course how did Fergus take it when she told him he was a nutter? Kai is going have to be a good sister and play Cupid. What wouldn't you do for the people you love? Kai might need to challenge Oghren to a drinking duel before it's all over just to cleanse her mind with beer or hard liquor, whatever it takes. And we still need to introduce our newest member to the rest, that gorgeous, and exotic, little elven bard. Will she ruffle the feathers of the other women? We can all guess how the men might react, or maybe not all of them. And in this story shout out to one of our own FanFic writers own story, Fluid Consciousness's **"Stray."** If you are reading you will get the joke in my story. : ) And one to Night Hunter MGS for a personal email that I had to use as inspiration. : )_

_SPOILER STORY: Tonight's shout out goes to Jakia and what has to be one of the best shorts for the new expansion Awakenings. It is called "**Letters From the Queen.**" It will make you laugh and make you cry. And check out the other stories by this author._

_Thank you all for your love and support, even when I don't deserve it due to my April Fool's doofery. I do appreciate you all and thanks for adding me to favs and even reviewing the stupid chapter. *hangs head in shame. And thanks to my newest reviewers from lurkers: **Felinae Silvestris**, and **Ladyamesmindy**. /HUGS. You are all the best fans, really. And I really love that you all don't hate me._

_Hope you all find this chapter was worth the heart attacks and the silliness. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai watched as Morrigan sank down on the edge of the bed with a stunned and horrified look on her face. It would have been almost comical if not for the real apprehension she was obviously feeling. "So, did you really tell him he that he was insane? Round the bend? Loop the sodding loo?"

"I not only told him 'tis insanity on his part, but I..." Morrigan got even paler and the spots on her cheeks returned, "I pushed him away. I told him I only intended him as a lover, and if he would not sleep with me, then I would find someone who would." Kai brushed the tears off the witch's cheeks. "I have ruined it then. He will never speak to me again, of that I am certain. Love makes one a fool!"

"Young lady, you stop that right this instant! I know we don't always get along, in fact we never get along," Wynne practically stomped her foot, "but this is nonsense! You aren't a fool, nor are you weak. You just don't have much experience in dealing with people. I know I haven't been patient with you, and I apologize for it. I think that after running all over Thedas together and knowing your mother and the way she raised you, it is high time that I did." Wynne sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maker, young people can be so silly. If Fergus really loves you, and he does not strike me as the type to declare such a thing insincerely, then it can be mended again."

"Wynne is right." Kai hugged her. "You may have hurt him, but you have seen how stubborn I am. Well, Fergus is far more pigheaded. Where do you think I learned it from? We Couslands are made of sterner stuff. If I know him, you will just make him rally and try harder."

"'Implacable,' remember?" Alistair's voice said impishly into her ear.

"Hey! I thought you ran away to play chess," Kai teased him.

"I realized that this was way too interesting, I couldn't stay away." He gave her a mental grin.

"My mother told you to come back and spy because she wants to know what is happening with Fergus, didn't she?" Kai smirked into her own head.

"She threatened to fill my bed with spiders every night." Alistair's voice sounded sheepish.

"How did she find out you don't like spiders?" Kai asked him. In fact Alistair had had a thing about spiders since the night at camp when he had made a comment about Morrigan's nose looking just like her mother's. Morrigan of course had denied that she and Flemeth looked anything alike. When he had insisted that it would be a spot on match in a hundred years or so, the witch had turned into a giant spider and pummeled him to the ground. She had stood over him with hairy legs, mandibles as big as a man's arm and sharp as a sword dripping onto his chest, while eight beady eyes shone malice in every round black orb. He had never compared her to Flemeth again.

"It may have come up when I was telling your father, Oren, Cailan, Maric, and Duncan stories about the Blight. Your mother claimed that it was 'men's talk' and was sitting and reading while Oriana did some embroidery. I never thought she was listening in." Alistair's voice sounded chagrined.

"That'll teach you." Kai teased back. It was Leli's lilting tone that interrupted her conversation with Alistair.

"I am sure Kai can go and talk to him for you." Kai looked up to find the redhead looking at her with those big, wide, watery, blue eyes. Maker how did she do that? Kai called the look "Leliana's puppy dog eyes." Whether she or Argus gave her that look, Kai couldn't resist. She huffed out a huge breath.

"FINE! Ugh! I can't believe I am going to play matchmaker. Just no talking about the kissing or his great hands or how good the sex is when you finally have it. EVER!" She waved her hands. Kai couldn't believe she was actually going to do this. This was certainly a karmic payback for her teasing Fergus back in the day when she had Dairren coming to her room before Howe attacked Highever. He had teased her that Father was sending her to bed early, and she had quipped that she didn't mind as her bed wouldn't be empty. Fergus had called her a saucy minx and scandalized Oriana at the time, getting him into trouble with his proper Antivan wife. The Universe was surely laughing at her now.

She got dressed quickly; she wanted to find Fergus and get this over with all due haste. She told them to wait in her room for Argus and to please look after the Mabari. Then, she left her living quarters to find a servant who might know where the Teyrn was.

Thunder humper! First it was girl talk, which she wasn't good at. She had fought with daggers while other girls had played with dolls, for Andraste's sake! And now she was going to have a heart to heart, birds and bees conversation with her brother, of all people. What did she know about courtship or wooing? Joss, her first, had been a fumbling experiment born of teenage hormones and curiosity. Dairren she had shamelessly propositioned in their grandfather's study after some flirting in the Atrium. Then, he had been killed. She and Alistair had been too busy running all over Ferelden to do the googly eyed, sicky sweet, courtship romance thing. Other than the gift of the rose, they hadn't really done any "sparking," as Wynne had called it. And as for her and Zev, well that had elements of Dairren and Alistair. Best friends and a sort of shameless propositioning, if the sex they'd had so far was propositioning at all. More like overheated emotions finding an outlet in hot steamy sex.

Zev would be better at this sort of thing. Zev! That was it. Maybe she could get the worldly Antivan to help her with this. After all Zev had more experience with love on both sides of the aisle, so to speak. Kai grabbed one of the servants and asked where the Teyrn was. She then asked the servant to fetch Zevran and have him to meet her in the private family garden where Fergus was.

She made her way to the garden which sat closest to the orchard. Kai should have known he would be there. It was a favorite brooding spot for the Cousland children whenever they were in trouble or life had been unkind or unfair, as life often is. Not only was it a place of comfort as they held Cousland Camaraderie Days there, but both she and Fergus loved the bee hives and enjoyed watching the insects fly about. It had a way of soothing the mind.

She waited outside the garden for Zevran. She didn't want to go in without briefing him first. Zev, being an ex-Crow, was good at picking up on things on the fly, but she felt it was only fair not to let him go in blind on this. Kai wished she was blind – blind drunk. She huffed to herself again.

"Whatever can be troubling you, my dear Kaidana. Argus will be all right, so it cannot be that. This would have nothing to do with the deliciously dangerous Morrigan following you up to your rooms with an aura of disquiet, now would it? Nor would it have to do with sweet Leliana and the lusciously endowed Wynne following not far behind, hmm?" Zev gave her a sly smile and a wink. "I would surmise that it has to do with the witch and your brother engaging in rather passionate kisses and being together almost every waking moment, no?"

Kai couldn't help but grin back. "You are far too clever and quick, Zev." She explained what had happened and complimented Zev on summing up the situation in one try.

"Si! But hitting the target on the first try has saved me more than once." He chuckled at his own joke. "So, you have called me here for moral support? To offer advice? These I will gladly do, but I am not talking to your brother for you. You, my dear friend, got yourself into this by not learning to resist Leliana's big blue eyes." Nug humper! Kai frowned as Zevran laughed at her and walked into the garden, leaving her to trail behind.

They found Fergus sitting on the ground under a tree with the twins napping on a blanket. Kai felt as if her heart were ready to explode with happiness. She went and kissed her brother before settling herself on the blanket, her hands rubbing little round bellies. Maker, they seemed bigger, and she had been gone less than a week. They stirred briefly when she touched them but kept on sleeping the deep, boneless slumber that only babies and children managed. Kai envied them. Zev had also sat himself down next to Kai and the twins and occupied himself by plucking blades of grass and peeling them. It was Fergus who broke the silence first. "I suppose you know about Morrigan and me, little sister?" Fergus frowned.

"I know more than I wanted to know, brother dear." Kai smiled at him. "I know you are trying to get into her pants while she is still in them."

"I am doing..." Fergus stopped when he realized Kai was laughing at him, breaking his brooding mood.

"Actually, I know Morrigan has been trying to get you to...well...you know." Kai started to blush.

Zevran started laughing. "You Fereldans! How do you ever pleasure each other if you don't speak to each other about it?" Kai blushed harder.

"I thought you were going to give me moral support. You aren't helping!" She whispered out of the side of her mouth while rolling her eyes. Zev laughed harder.

"Ugh, sod it! She told me you told her that you are in love with her." Kai watched Fergus. "I mean, I knew you found her attractive when you met her after the twins were born. And I have seen you two getting all googly eyed at each other. And then there is the snogging in the Great Hall. So, give."

"I never interrogated you about your love life." Fergus growled at her.

Kai held up a finger. "No, you cold-cocked Joss and gave the boy a bloody nose and a black eye. And that was just for kissing me. I was lucky he still helped me lose my...my...anyways." Kai blushed as Zev chuckled and even Fergus gave her a smile. "And you would have put the screws to Dairren, if only as a joke and to make me squirm if you hadn't been sent off to Ostagar that very day." _And if he hadn't taken an arrow to the heart_, Kai thought. "And you never got to meet Alistair. I suspect you don't ask Zev because he would readily tell you everything and embarrass you far more than it would discomfort him." Kai gave Zev a sideways glance with a smile. "And as I know every expression on that dopey face of yours, I know that you have it bad for her. May I ask what you are going to do about it?"

"She already told me to go jump in the lake, so to speak. She obviously doesn't feel the same way. I am hardly one to press a lady or try to make her move in a direction she doesn't want to go. I learned that living with strong willed, independent women. Not to push them." Fergus grimaced and looked away. "She made up her mind. I did what I could to gain her favor, it wasn't enough."

"Really, you can be the most annoying, pigheaded, ugh, Cousland!" Kai felt herself getting frustrated with him.

"Fergus, has Morrigan told you nothing of her childhood, her mother?" Zevran put a comforting hand on Kai's arm.

"No, I know it pains her and makes her uncomfortable, even if she pretends that it just annoys her when I ask. I know she uses anger and annoyance to cover up vulnerability. There is a sweet little girl in there. I saw her that day she sat by your chair and put her head in your lap, sister." Fergus blushed this time. "That is when I started to fall in love with her. I wanted to untangle that complex creature. But she hasn't been letting me get any closer to the real person in there. And recently she seems to be trying hard to distance herself more, using sex to do it. I won't use her just for pleasure, no matter how much she claims that is all she wants. So, I guess that's that."

"Ah, while there is something to be said for carnal pleasure alone, I agree with you, my friend. I am afraid your sister has converted me to another way of thinking." Zev ran his long fingers up her arm. "I suspect that you could do the same for our witch friend, no?" He grinned. "Kai, I think you need to tell your brother about Morrigan's childhood and her oh-so lovely mother, since Morrigan is ashamed to talk about it. I suspect our lovely, golden eyed friend is afraid you will think less of her if you know the truth, Fergus." Would Zevran never cease to amaze her? He had hit the bull's eye once again. Of course he could know all of this from skulking at the key hole while she and the others had been talking. He was an assassin after all. Kai chuckled to herself.

She proceeded to tell Fergus everything she knew about Flemeth and explained that the old legends regarding her were true. Flemeth was very, very old. She told him how the ancient abomination had used her daughter as bait for the Templars so that Flemeth could lure them in and kill them. She went on to tell him how Flemeth lured Wilder men to the hut and had sex with them in front of Morrigan and then killed them. She told of the childhood prize the witch had stolen from a carriage and of Flemeth's smashing the mirror that she had treasured. Kai told him how Flemeth used to abuse Morrigan. She explained that she had seen this in the Fade in the Sloth demon's prison for Morrigan. Everything Flemeth did to Morrigan was supposed to make her stronger and teach her that power was the only thing that mattered. She also told him how Flemeth planned to take over Morrigan's body and cast Morrigan's soul out just as she had done to her other daughters, so Flemeth could once again be young. Kai told Fergus how she and her group had killed Flemeth, who had turned into a high dragon, to save Morrigan. She finished by explaining that Flemeth was no doubt alive and looking for a way at Morrigan still.

It was this last statement that had Fergus jumping up and pacing. "Her demon mother thinks she can come back and just take her body, casting her out? She will have to go through me first!"

Zev grinned at Kai and then at Fergus. "Ah, my friend, such passion is wasted on worrying about such a thing. Is seems you love the woman in spite of herself, so perhaps you ought to put your passion into more...productive endeavors, no? You should tell her that you won't take 'No,' or in this case just sex, for an answer. Then, I would suggest kissing her breathless so that she cannot argue with you."

"Besides, she admitted to me that she is in love with you." Kai smiled at him.

"She did?" Suddenly Fergus's face broke into a brilliant grin.

"In front of witnesses, no less, so don't let her convince you otherwise. She should be in my room tending Argus, brother dear. If you are wondering where to look." Kai laughed as Fergus spun on his heel and started to leave the garden. Then Kai had a thought that made her groan. "HEY, don't even think of having sex in our room! Especially not on the bed! Fergus!" Kai yelled at his retreating back.

"Do you think he heard me?" Kai asked Zev worriedly.

"I wouldn't bet on it, my dear Kaidana." Zev snickered.


	67. Chapter 68

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, poor Kai has had to have more girl talk and with her own brother no less. Life just isn't fair. And it is probably going to get worse before it gets better. Will Leli and Gnat get along? Will Gnat and the other Scath get along? And what about Lelyth's siblings? Kai has ashes to deliver. How will Lelyth's siblings take it? And some of you asked after Orzammar, well we will be getting to that too!_

_Author shout out to Ondjage who has some wonderful Leli shorts (and so much more)"**Je t'aime**," and "**Mon Amor**." They are lovely and steamy! : ) And to lilpumpkingirl for any of you Dragon Ball Z fans, check out "**Choices**" or "**Dark Visions.**" And Felinae Silvestrus writes fabulous fanfic for "Harry Potter" and the play "Cats". She has so many titles and I haven't even gotten to read half. But one of my favs for Harry Potter fans is "**Pair of Jokers**." A short about George after the loss of his twin, it made me cry. They all have more stories that I can't list here. Especially Felinae S, you go kitty cat! Your keyboard must be on fire. : ) And please check out Meilbatsurenmila's shorts "**Ask the Sten**" and submit questions for our favorite stoic Qunari to answer. And check out her wonderful long tale involving all the characters in an after the Blight tale with a Sten and Warden pairing. Each chapter is a different title and separate story, so I couldn't list them all. You can find it by going under Meil's name. It is a long and lovely read. I am trying to do shout outs for all of you who review first. Some of you have recommended other authors, and I promise to check them out too. I have done some and done the shout out. But I won't get to write if I don't pace myself. ROFL!_

_Shout out to Night Hunter MGS; I am going to steal shamelessly from your review. It was so damn funny and painted a mental image in my head, it made me laugh out loud at work. I had to use it, along with the email you sent me. Thank you again, my friend. And please, feel free to email me with ideas everyone. I can't always promise I will use them, but I love ideas. And, as you can read, I get a lot of inspiration from your reviews too. : )_

_And thank you all for reviewing, for adding to favs and to alerts. I can't believe it, but every day at least one new person adds it to alerts or favs, or me to author alerts or favs. So to all of you, lurkers, reviewers, long time fans, you blessed busy students who still read along with all the other mountains of things you have to read for school; you busy moms and dads, you worker bees, people traveling a lot for medical things or work, you fantastic wonderful people, THANK YOU! I am just wowed, awed, and humbled._

_And lilpumpkingirl, I do indeed play WoW. Argent Dawn for my Alliance. And Feathermoon FOR THE HORDE baby! Been playing it since it came out. And yes, like you, gamer girl who would rather play than shop. Tee hee. I love being a gamer girl geek. : )_

_Oh, and those celebrating Easter this weekend, happy Easter! And may all those of other faiths with Spring Season celebrations have a blessed holiday as well. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Blast it! Kai got up quickly. "Zev, grab Duncan and the blanket." Kai reached down and picked up her sleeping daughter. "Quick!" Kai draped Fi's still oblivious form over her arms. My, they were getting big. "When I was in the Fade, I promised Oriana, Fergus's wife, that I would help him find love again. I did _not_ promise that I would help him find it in our bedroom and in our bed!" Kai said all of this while walking quickly as she could, without waking Fi, in the direction Fergus had gone. Kai heard Zevran laugh behind her. Sod it, sod it, sod it! Kai kept walking as fast as she could, making her way to the hallway where the rooms were.

"Kaidana, I need to tell you something." Zev spoke to her back.

"Can't it wait? I really want to stop Fergus and Morrigan from using any available surface they happen to be near. Especially when those surfaces are in _our_ room! I might have to have everything set on fire. Or lye! Oh yes, lye – lots and lots of lye, that's it!"

"Kai!" Zev's voice sounded pained and desperate. "I have important news for you." Kai stopped and turned around to see Zev standing still in the corridor. He was holding Duncan to his chest, the blanket under the infant. He almost looked as if he was holding the babe close as a shield or for comfort, though his face was a mask. It must not be something she wanted to hear, or it was something which would hurt her.

"All right, judging by your stance and the way you have your face set, I know I'm going to like this even less than what my brother is planning on doing in our bed." Kai tried to give him a reassuring smile. "Spill it, Zev."

"Lelyth's siblings are here from Waking Sea. They are in Highever, staying with a family your brother asked to house them for the time being. They just got here a day or so ago, while we were at the mage's tower." Zev walked close to her to offer comfort as best he could with both hands full. Kai hadn't forgotten Lelyth's only surviving family. She had just put the painful reality of telling them their sister was dead and it was her fault aside for a while. But, she had gotten up and danced with Erys, the traitor, and the piper always had to be paid. Kai felt her stomach clench and chill as if shards of glass were pouring into it. She licked her lips and looked down nodding. Then she had a thought that made her heart race.

"Bloody hell! The ashes are in the bedroom! One more reason to stop my daft brother from forging the moaning statue in our room." Kai turned quickly on her heel and started walking fast as she could down the castle's open corridor toward the hall with the bedrooms.

She got to the hallway to find Wynne and Leliana standing outside the room. Kai closed her eyes for a moment. _Oh please, not already. Maker's blood!_ "Tell me you are out here because you were headed to get food for the dog and that Morrigan and Fergus went for a walk." Kai watched as both women actually blushed. It was this moment that a smiling Fiona walked up to Zev as she reached out to take her grandson from him. She came and kissed Kai on the cheek.

"I am so glad you are back and that you are safe. We were really worried for you. And we all missed you..." Fiona noticed everyone's faces. "Ah, I see. Yet again, I go to make potions and miss out on something. Not another suitor for Kai's affections I take it?" She grinned. Kai filled her in on the "girl talk" that had taken place, including the talk she had with Fergus. "Yes, I had noticed your brother has been wooing said damsel. So, she has admitted that she is in love with him. I take it no one is surprised?"

"Well, no one but Morrigan herself." Kai grumbled. "So are they..." Kai couldn't even bring herself to say it.

Leliana smiled at her, her eyes bright with her "isn't it romantic" look. "Oh, he stalked in there, grabbed Morrigan by the arms, raising her up to look at him. He was so masculine, so forceful, so commanding, so sexy!"

Kai winced. "Agh! I told you not to talk about my brother like that in front of me! Maker, is there enough alcohol in all of Thedas to wipe any of this from my memory?"

Leli continued grinning. "He told her he loved her and that she loved him and she was just going to have to learn to live with it. That he wasn't going to take no for an answer. He demanded she tell him what she felt for him. When she tried to sidestep saying it herself, telling him he already knew and she didn't need to say it, he shook her a little and told her to say it. It took a couple of demands on your brother's part. Finally she did say it, while looking him in the eye even. Then they kissed in such a way that it made my toes curl. It was a kiss worthy of any song sung in Orlais. And after that well..."

It was Wynne who blushed this time. "By the time we managed to get to the door, apparel such as it is in Morrigan's case, was coming off at a fast pace. Luckily, we intercepted the servants bringing Argus up from the stables and his bath. I had them put him in my room for the time being. I thought it would be best, child." Wynne reached out and took a still sleeping Fi.

"By Andraste's flaming knickers!" Kai fumed, and applied her fist to the thick wood of the door. "Fergus! NOT in my sodding room! Blast it! Maker turn you both into toads! Do you hear me? Not in my thunder humping room! Aw, bloody hell!" She gave the door one good, swift kick for good measure. She gave up and put her back to the door, putting her face in the palm of one hand and smacking the door with a fist and groaning. This day just kept getting better and better. First, they had fought a large group of organized darkspawn when there shouldn't be such a thing. Argus almost died. Lelyth's siblings were finally here, and now this.

Having been napping for a while and with the noise Mommy was making, the twins woke up and started to fuss. Kai sighed. "Come, child, let's go to my room. You can feed the twins before we all go to our own suppers." Wynne walked down the hall. Kai, Leli and Fiona with Duncan followed her. They all filed into Wynne's room.

Kai bent down and petted Argus. He looked at her and gave a friendly whine. "Hey, boy." Kai rubbed his belly and behind his ears. She told him what a good dog he was, how proud she was of him and how much she loved him. He lolled out his tongue at her before laying his head down in exhaustion to sleep again.

They got Kai and the twins situated. It made her so happy when they smiled at her and being with them was such a joy. That and the breastfeeding calmed her, it helped with all that was going on. That was until she found they were missing one Antivan troublemaker. "Um, where is Zev?" Kai asked the rest of the group, who were all having quiet conversations amongst themselves while Kai and twins were occupied. Three other faces turned towards hers and then looked at each other, shrugging their shoulders. Kai huffed to herself. Who knew where her sneaky friend had gotten to. Kai, with Fiona's help, had just burped and changed the twins when Zev let himself into Wynne's room with a smug look on his face.

"So, my darling Wynne, this is where you rest that magnificent bosom of yours every night? I am conjuring up such delightful images." Zev grinned wickedly at Wynne.

"If you continue, young man, I assure you I shall 'conjure' something far more unpleasant for you than images of my bosom." Wynne wrinkled her nose at him. Everyone had to laugh at their banter. It had taken a while, but the elf and the mage had become friends. Their sniping comments were now in fun.

This relationship was not like their time traveling during the Blight. Wynne, like Alistair, had not trusted the assassin. And his rather laid back attitude towards killing and life had annoyed the mage whenever she had tried to speak to him seriously of his past. Wynne had thought him a shallow killer with no conscience. It wasn't until after he had refused to abandon Kai and their group once Taliesin was dead that Wynne had warmed to him. Kai smiled at the thought. How much had their own first impressions about each other changed? People were so rarely simple. Not Sten, not Morrigan, not Leli, not Wynne, not Oghren. Not even Sandal, Bodahn's son, who rarely spoke anything except to say "ENCHANTMENT!" They had found him alone on the second floor of Fort Drakon surrounded by a small army of dead darkspawn, including an ogre, while making their way to the top to kill the Archdemon. That alone had made Kai realize there was a lot more to Sandal then his genius with runes. What exactly that might be, she had no idea. But he wasn't as simple as first impressions might make him seem.

She was reminded how much she loved them all, despite her earlier frustrations. And that brought her to her brother and Morrigan using her...well, she wasn't going to think about it. The mental images she could conjure were something she wanted to avoid. She just had to remember that it was all about love, that is what it came down to. She had a moment to wonder how long her brother's and Morrigan's '_love_' was going to take. Maker, not enough alcohol in Thedas, la la la la! She gave herself a mental head slap. Add to that, she and Zev had probably better plan on getting other sleeping quarters for the night. Ugh!

They all heard the bells signaling the dinner hour. Kai went to grab both twins and found her little babies had gotten too big to hold together. Wynne came to her rescue and took Duncan. They all made their way down the hall. When they were passing what had been Kai and Zev's room, they all studiously ignored the noises from behind the door. Kai couldn't help but blush beet red and roll her eyes, causing Zevran to laugh yet again. He was enjoying this whole debacle way too much. Kai took the moment to slow their pace and fall back from the others. Zev stroked Fi's cheek when she chirped at him and smiled trying to get his attention. "So, I have a feeling I may regret asking, but where did you disappear to earlier?"

"Hm? Oh, well I figured your brother and our delicious witch of the wilds might not surface for who knows how long. Your brother has not had anyone to bed since his wife died. As he does not seem the type to use the services of places like The Pearl, I calculate that to be at least two years going on three. As to our magical friend, well, with her sharp tongue and dangerous ways, it is enough to deter most men. Men not like myself, who find danger and beauty very seductive, no?" Zev gave her a wicked grin and a sideways look while running a finger down the side of her neck. "So, it would be hard to know when or if she has had the pleasure of someone's company. Certainly not during the Blight, so at least a year if at all."

"You think she might be a vir..." Kai's eyes got wide as she contemplated that possibility.

"A virgin? Just because she can talk as if she knows the pleasures of the flesh doesn't mean she has first hand experience herself, my dear Kai. Remind me to tell you of my first." Zev grinned. Kai blushed harder. "As I was saying before we went on this delicious side path. Since I thought they might not surface for a time, I felt it was necessary to get the ashes. I know you, my dearest Kai. You will want to see Lelyth's siblings tomorrow at the latest."

"You snuck into the room? While they are in there doing...?" Kai blushed harder, she felt her mouth hanging open like a fish tossed onto a river bank. Oh blessed Andraste! This really was not her day!

"Your late sister-in-law must have been a marvelous teacher of Antiva's love making arts to your brother, my dear Kai. Why, the last time I saw techniques like that was years ago in one of the finest brothels back home."

"Maker's breath! Zev!" Kai stopped and just closed her eyes and grimaced.

"You Fereldans, I will never understand your various taboos and inhibitions." And with that he walked on, his laughter trailing over his shoulder in ribbons of mirth.


	68. Chapter 69

**BioWare owns all but what I have made up. : )**

_**For those of you on the BioWare forums, I posted this story there too under community creations for Dragon Age. While I love your traffic and your reviews here, if it is easier to read there, know that it is up for your viewing pleasure. Sorry I forgot to mention it earlier. : (**_

_Poor Kai, girl talk, getting her brother and Morrigan together only to have them "get together" in her room. And of course Zev is having so much fun at her expense. In this and following chapters we have introductions, and the meeting with Lelyth's siblings will be coming up. And Rajed will get introduced to his new weapon. More humor and some heart wrenching will be in the works. Oh, and Gnat's real name is revealed. Though she is never going to answer to it, LOL. I hope you all continue to enjoy. : )_

_For those who don't speak French or find it is rusty, Leliana asks about Gnat's being from Orlais and comments that her name can't be really be Gnat. Gnat is so happy to hear her own language, she lets out what her real name is, but that she never answers to it. And tells Leli she lives in Val Royeaux. She is an acrobat and Bard and she was trained by Gaheries Magnon (the name being close to one Garrus on ME and ME2 whom I have a shameless crush on). : )_

_I don't have any author shout outs tonight. Sorry, I will later again I promise. I just haven't had time to keep up with anything else and write too._

_Night Hunter MGS you are way too clever at catching my subtle hints. So much so that I am surprised I have ever blindsided you at all. Any of you, really. I have the cleverest fans. As Zev told Kai in this story once, I like practicing on you, you almost always catch me at it. I find it a challenge. That goes for all of you, clever, clever people. You all are so good, I find it makes me work harder which I love! And a shout out to Night Hunter MGS for some ideas you had given me before and I didn't use at that time. But, now is their time. So a shout out to Jim Henson and The Muppets, as well as NH MGS. : ) And I cannot stress it enough that in the last chapter I stole shamelessly from Night Hunter MGS. The last two sentences in particular. Or as he says, I was given permission, but still. You should all know it was he, not I who came up with those hilarious lines. So again, my deepest and sincerest thanks my friend. And if you're wondering about Zev catching Kai's change in pronoun when she speaks of their living arrangements, well we all know Zev is too clever not to have caught on. : ) I say again, you all are such talented people._

_Thanks again to all who lurk and read. Again, I woke up today to find several more new people had added my story to favs and alerts, and me to fav author! THANK YOU! I am truly humbled. And for all of you who review, even on a holiday weekend, you amaze me and thrill me. Same goes for my lurkers who are reading this on the holiday weekend too. I know some are out of town or going to be. Please be safe. And I am so grateful, every day for such smart, observant, clever fans. The people who review that are such great writers in their own right, and you all think I am good? Well, I am undone._

_**Blessings!**_

Kai took a moment to breathe, and it was Fi's little chirps and craning her neck to look at her mommy which snapped Kai out of her roiling thoughts. She sighed, kissed Fi on her downy head and walked after Zev to the dining hall. She soon felt a presence tailing her, and it couldn't be Zev. She stopped and turned to see Gnat's figure unfold itself out of the shadows. "Bonsoir, my lady." Kai grinned at her. Gnat had apparently been given a room and had bathed and changed.

"I hope you got settled in all right. If you need anything, don't hesitate to speak to me or..." Kai was going to say "my brother Fergus," but he was otherwise occupied for who knew how long. Kai stopped herself. "...Or any servant." Kai felt herself blushing. If Gnat noticed, she said nothing, she just nodded. They made their way to the doorway of the dining hall and walked in. The place was full of Scath and her extended family. Well, minus her brother and a certain witch. Shale was standing in her favorite spot in the dining hall, behind Sten. Leli sat between Sten and Oghren. Fiona and Wynne sat at the end of the table next to the highchairs where Duncan was already seated while Fiona put a bib on him.

Her family just looked up, but the Scath all stood and gave her a crossed arm bow. Kai handed Fi to Wynne and returned the bow. Zaeed and Naseel came over. Zaeed met her with that wide infectious grin of his, putting out his arm to grasp hers. Naseel did the same when Zaeed stepped back. It was then that Zaeed's eyes landed on Gnat. They got very wide, and he couldn't seem to take them off of her. In fact all of her Scath were looking at the mysterious young woman with varying expressions. Most of the looks were curious with a mix of seeing some beautiful creature who looked like an elf out of the legends of Arlathan. Everyone except Naseel, who looked from Zaeed's face back to Gnat with a nasty scowl and a hard glint in her mismatched eyes. _Oh boy,_ Kai thought. She knew Zaeed was in love with Naseel and this was nothing more than a healthy male's being in proximity to someone as exotic and alluring as Gnat. Kai'd had time to get used to Gnat's looks and had forgotten how truly eye catching they were. Naseel was not impressed. She turned to Kai after one more cold look at Gnat and a really hard jab to Zaeed's ribs, which had him wincing, rubbing his side and looking sheepish. Kai had never seen him with such a look on his face. She wanted to laugh and kept herself from doing so only by the thinnest of margins.

Kai addressed the dining hall, "Everyone, may I introduce Gnat. She is a bard from Orlais. She is here to help 'The Silver Griffon,' and she has permission from a powerful friend to aid us against Anora. I will speak to you all more on this later. Suffice it to say, treat her as you would any Scath." Kai watched her Scath nod and turn back to their plates, still glancing at Gnat and speaking with each other. Those closest to Jarren started to ask him questions. Kai only hoped they gave him a chance to eat.

"Scathach, we were worried, but Zevran sent word via the procul globe that you lived. We were only truly comforted when the witch returned to give us a complete report on your health." Kai thanked them for their concern and gave them a briefing on the darkspawn attacks, both of them. Naseel smiled at Kai.

"Your other friends have been telling those of us new to your country about the Blight. You mean that they are not going back to the Deep Roads?" Naseel's eyes widened.

"And this sounds as if intelligence lies behind your battle on the road back here. Could it be that they have unearthed another dragon so soon?" Zaeed's voice sounded with concern.

"That I do not know, my friends. We may have to delve into this disturbing development along with handling all that is going on with Anora. For now, go back to your food, my friends." She smiled at both of them. "We can speak on this more later. Eat." Kai grasped Naseel's arm and then Zaeed's, and watched as they sat back down next to Jarren and Rajed.

Kai motioned for Gnat to follow her to the table. Kai introduced Gnat to everyone except Zev before sitting across from the elf. Gnat sat across from Leliana and next to Kai. Since breakfast was informal and people tended to rise at different times, the food was put out buffet style. Supper was more formal at Highever and always had been. Her family had never eaten by themselves unless it was Cousland Camaraderie Day. Her parents had always eaten with castle staff or soldiers in the dining hall. Supper meant everyone showed up, cleaned up and ready to sit down and eat, unless they had duties that kept them from it. The food was placed on the tables in front of everyone rather than on the buffet. Kai and Gnat started to fill their plates.

Leliana looked appreciatively at Gnat. Kai knew that the bard did not mind the company of women. In fact, the beautiful redhead had hinted she would have liked Kai's company. Kai had hated to hurt her, but she wasn't interested in women, though one could do worse than the lovely and sweet bard.

She wasn't sure if Gnat's joke about Kai coming to her if Zev and she didn't work out was a real offer. What Kai did know was that Gnat and Leliana were both bards and shared their country in common as well. It didn't surprise her when they shifted into Orlesian. Kai couldn't help but listen in. What was it about foreign languages that just stirred the senses? Of course Kai's limited Orlesian meant she was probably missing some things, but that didn't stop her from listening. Their accents were too lovely, like a lilting song.

Leli smiled and introduced herself. "Bonsoir, mon nom est Leliana. Vous venez aussi d'Orlais?"

Gnat grinned and had a look of homesickness. She seemed to enjoy hearing her own language though. " Enchantée, je suis Moucheron. Et oui, je suis originaire d'Orlais. J'habite à Val Royeaux."

Leliana's eyes sparkled and she giggled. "Vous êtes sérieuse? Vous vous nommez réellement Moucheron?"

Gnat looked at the pretty red head and laughed. She shook her head. "En fait, mon véritable nom est Allaire Jardiniel. Mais je ne l'utilise jamais, et je préfère de loin me faire appeler Moucheron. Je suis une acrobate et une barde. J'ai été formée par Gaheriès Magnon. Avec qui avez-vous reçu votre entraînement pour devenir barde?"

J'ai été formé par Gaheriès Magnon. Avec qui avez-vous une formation pour être Bard?"

Leliana's eyes brightened, and she flushed. Kai caught enough to know that Gnat has asked with whom Leliana trained as a bard. It was a painful thing for the pretty redhead. Kai listened as Leliana explained all of this to Gnat. About how her mistress and teacher had betrayed her, blaming her for her own treasonous acts. Eventually, it was Kai who had gained the pretty and vulnerable woman's trust, and she had confessed to being a bard for Orlais. Leli told her about what had happened with papers that her mistress, teacher and even lover had sent her to kill a mark to get. These papers had named her mistress as engaged in treason against Orlais. These were papers that Leliana's curiosity had led her to read, taking her concerns to Marjolaine, afraid for her teacher's safety. Marjolaine had then framed Leliana who had been arrested and then tortured. Kai knew that torture for women always included rape.

Leli had never spoken of any of it in detail except to say that she had escaped using the very bard skills she had been trained in and had run to Ferelden. She had put herself in the Chantry as a Lay Sister, hoping to gain forgiveness for her past deeds and to find peace. Despite what had happened to her, she had remained a kind and caring soul. She had not allowed herself to be bitter or even to feel vengeful toward her former mistress and teacher. She had stayed happy in the cloister until she'd had her vision, a dream of the Blight. She had joined Kai and her group in Lothering and had been a loyal and true friend ever since.

It was during their travels some time later that they had been attacked by assassins hired by Marjolaine, as the woman had discovered Leli was alive and in Ferelden. They had gone to Denerim and found Marjolaine, who was a nasty piece of work. In fact now that Kai thought about it, Marjolaine reminded her very much of Vimaro. They had killed the woman. Kai had worried that Marjolaine's telling Leli she was a walking abyss coupled with killing the woman would break the sweet Bard. It had taken several conversations with her, but Kai had shown Leli that she was not Marjolaine, nor would she ever be. With time and the love of her new friends, Leliana had come to see that she and her former Mistress were very different.

Gnat smiled an apologetic smile at Leli. " Je suis sincèrement désolée de ce vous est arrivé ."

Leliana smiled her brilliant smile, and shook her head, her flaming red hair dancing like her eyes. "Non, tout cela est du passé. J'ai de très bons amis et une vie merveilleuse maintenant ." Kai had to smile Leli's response to Gnat's sympathy was so Leli. Cheerful, optimistic, forever hopeful, and never bitter. She simply put her in her past and counted her life now as marvelous and filled with good friends. Kai had reason to know that Leliana even considered Morrigan as a friend, and Sten, even when she had never received a warm welcome from either. A less than warm welcome had never stopped the beautiful bard. Kai was reminded of the Spumante Master Ignacio had brought to their meeting from Antiva. Golden, bubbly, and cheerful, it would tickle your nose whether you wanted it to or not. That was Leli, Kai smiled at her friend. Maker, she was just so lucky to know such great people.

It was Shale that broke the intense concentration Kai required to follow the conversation with her rusty Orlesian. "I have a question for _it_."

Kai looked at Shale and smiled. "What can I do for you, my stone friend?"

"When I was injured, I went into a kind of shut down mode. It was not like the years I spent in the Deep Roads before that bastard Wilhelm found me." Shale's face took on a heavy scowl at the memory of her former and abusive owner.

"So, you didn't just shut off and see darkness?" Kai raised an eyebrow. "How was it different? Could you hear all of us or sense us?"

"No, I think I had what you squishy beings call a dream." The golem's face got even more stern.

"I didn't know you could dream anymore. Was it a pleasant dream? A fun dream?" Kai couldn't help but be excited by this development. The golem was a female dwarf before she was a stone giant with exceptional killing skills and brute strength. Kai always wondered how much of the dwarf was still in that stone skin.

"No, it was horrid. I think it was brought on by all the damage I had taken. I was in a strange place, and it had yellow bird taller than the Qunari which kept trying to ingratiate itself with me while ignoring my attempts to squish its head. It kept pushing chocolate covered bird seed on me. Finally, I was forced to flee from it, as I could not crush it into a fine paste. Then I found myself in a theater with a strange, small blue creature."

"Creature? What was it, do you think?" Kai noticed that all of the table had gone silent, listening with rapt attention to Shale's story.

"It reminded me of a Darkspawn, except it was fuzzy and had a large curling nose. It tried its hand at jocularity while firing itself out of a cannon like the Qunari use."

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad." Kai grinned at Shale.

"_It_ would say that, wouldn't _it_? But _it_ does not know the true horror of the small blue darkspawn."

"And that would be?" Kai leaned forward on the edge of her seat.

"The small darkspawn led a legion of chickens!" Shale huffed at her, stone brows scrunching down in a menacing scowl.

"Needless to say, it was all most...disturbing. I thought only a weak, fleshy mind deluded by an overdose of deep mushrooms could have come up with such hellish images. It was most unsettling, most unsettling indeed."

Kai wanted to laugh, but she didn't want to hurt Shale's feelings. "I wouldn't worry too much, Shale. I think it was just due to your grievous injuries. I don't think it is a sign of weakness. You were hurt very badly, my friend. For which I am sorry."

"Huh!" Shale then smiled at Kai. "As I trust _it,_ I will be content that this was only due to injury and we shall not speak of it again. And _it_ was not to blame. If _it _insists on taking the blame, I shall be forced to squish _its_ head."

"Fair enough, my stone friend, fair enough." Kai just grinned at the golem and shoveled another forkful of food into her mouth to keep from laughing.


	69. Chapter 70

**BioWare owns all but the stuff I made up. : )**

_Hehe, Allaire, I mean Gnat sure does cause a stir. Hm, MEOW, anyone? I am so glad the French really pleased some and didn't throw off you all who don't speak it or read it. And as Night Hunter MGS says, fear the Henson! I am glad that made you laugh. Hm, will she and Leli, or won't they? Only one knows for sure. We will have more laughs, and some heart string pulling. You know it has to be done. : )_

_Author shout outs go to Sisimka, an author who has so many titles I can't possibly name them all, but I can recommend for Leli lovers her short "**A Second Chance**." She posts here and on the DA:O forum. And to Lady Jess on the DA:O forum, who reviews there to her story "**Shades of Gray**." She is LadyJessmyn on FF. And to a non DA:O but still fun must read for you Gundam/Sailor Moon fans, White Ivy's "**Hide Me**."_

_And a shout out to Night Hunter MGS who once again has given me the ammo to make you all laugh. Along with another to Jim Henson. If you spit out your coffee, I blame Night Hunter MGS. It was his idea, and it was too damn funny not to use. So again a shameless stealing by me, some parts especially. But as you all seemed to like it, I figured you wouldn't mind. Especially a Shale and Sten funny. Just watch you aren't sipping your coffee or other beverages this time. /Looks pointedly at LadyJessmyn. And shout out/homage to George Lucas and Star Wars, along with Night Hunter MGS who gave me the idea. After all, if Mr. Gaider and crew can do it in game with "Rip his arms off, Sten." We can on fanfic yes? : D_

_Xeriana, glad you liked the French sweetie! : )_

_And to my dear friend Phoenix Fire Lady, you have nothing to be sorry for in not reviewing every day. Really, that goes for all of you. I mean, don't get me wrong. I am totally addicted to your reviews, and they fuel my fire. But please, don't feel bad if you don't get to review. I know real life gets in the way. I really appreciate that you all do as much as you do and as often. And again, my lurkers, you know who you are, because I don't (LOL), thank you too. I got more emails telling me I am on more story alerts and author favs. Wow, just wow! Really, just makes me blush. And like a dummy, I was puttering around this site and found my story is on two community sites. I don't know when that happened, and I am sorry I didn't see it before. A big hug and thanks to you too. : )_

_Sorry this is so late. I wanted to post it yesterday, but real life got in the way. Le sigh._

_**Blessings!**_

Kai watched Shale stand with her back to the wall, her stone face pensive. At least Kai assumed it was a pensive look. After all, the golem didn't have bodily...erm...functions. In fact it always surprised Kai when Shale joined them in the dining hall. The golem had always stayed far away in camp, and she didn't need to eat. Kai suspected that Shale wanted the company. And Shale had always gotten along with her and Sten the best of everyone in camp. In fact, Shale was the only one Sten called "Kadan" besides Kai. He used it now, looking at the golem with his mouth crimping the way it did when he was bothered by something.

"I had heard your tale, Kadan, of this dream. I too had a somewhat unsettling...vision, as I slept after that battle. I admit that I had to meditate upon the teachings of the Qun for at least an extra half hour in order to focus my mind again."

"The Qunari also had one of these 'dream' things? May I inquire what it dreamt of?" Shale's glowing eyes fixed on Sten with curiosity.

"I, too, found myself in a strange place, in a city unlike any I've ever seen before. I also encountered a short, blue furred creature similar to your darkspawn."

"Did it have a curled nose and a legion of feathered fiends as well?" Shale's eyebrows shot up her stone face.

"No. Mine had no discernible nose at all. But its eyes were large, prominent and wild. I was standing before what appeared to be a shop or store selling vegetation in boxes out front. The shop had the name of a barrel maker. On a table before me was a platter of cookies. As I was about to indulge in one, the wide-eyed darkspawn descended upon them from out of nowhere, yelling 'Cookie!', and devoured them in a violent frenzy that would put even the dwarf to shame. Before I could recover and impale it, it had the audacity to utter a word of thanks and trotted off as if nothing happened." Sten's stern mouth crimped more at the corners.

"How horrid! It sounds vile enough to ally itself with the giant yellow bird. Oh, how I wish to squish them both!" Shale's mouth took on a deadly scowl.

Kai almost spit her wine out of her nose with laughter. "Sten, maybe your conscience finally caught up with you."

"My...conscience? Explain, Kadan." Sten turned his lavender eyes on Kai.

"I was thinking of a bag of cookies you took from that child in the village outside of Lake Calenhad. You know, the ones you gave to Carroll the Templar to take us across lake to the Tower during the Blight?" Kai put her hands under her chin, batting her eyelashes and grinning at the Qunari. "Perhaps the dream was the mark of a slow but guilty conscience, no?"

"You stole cookies from a child?" Gnat asked the bronzed skin giant. "I am a spy and sometimes assassin, and _I_ have never been _that _cruel." She flashed a grin and a wink at Kai. Leliana giggled and covered her mouth with her hand. Zev chuckled low in his throat.

"Oooh! Sten got busted!" Alistair's voice laughed in her ear.

"Vashedan! The child was a fat, slovenly thing. I relieved him of those confections, as he did not need anymore. It was for his own good."

"Uh huh, _his _own good. Whatever you say, my friend." Kai laughed as Sten growled. She got up and went to see if the twins were done eating so she could take them for a bath. She was going to have to bathe them in Wynne's room. And then she had a brilliant, if not slightly vengeful, idea for lodging for her and Zev. They would simply stay in Fergus' room. Kai found that idea very pleasing, in a passive/aggressive, sibling sort of way. Kai grabbed a servant and asked them to make sure Fergus' bed was stripped and remade for her and Zevran. While they were doing that, Kai would go to Wynne's room to check on Argus and bathe the babies.

Fiona helped Kai carry the twins to Wynne's room with Wynne following behind. Wynne and Fiona started the bath while Kai checked on Argus, who had been sleeping but had awoken when she came in. He had a happy loll to his tongue and gave a small bark before settling back to sleep. Kai went and helped get Fi and Duncan bathed. They had apparently enjoyed the mashed potatoes and the espinaca Kai had asked the cook to get for Zevran, though the cook had fixed it Ferelden style and cooked it until it was very soft with cream and butter. She suspected that Zev would need to let the cooks know how to fix it the way he had mentioned with oil and vinegar. Regardless, Fi and Duncan had enjoyed it if having it in their ears, their hair, and up their noses was any indication of enjoyment. She still wondered how much, if any, they actually got in their stomachs. She found out when Fi had a bit of upset tummy and proceeded to empty said stomach all over Mommy, which made it necessary for her to bathe also.

When she was clean and the twins were finally changed and asleep, they carried them downstairs to the main hall. As they walked down the hallway, the door to what had been her and Zev's room was blessedly silent. Kai still found herself blushing as if the noises from earlier were still going on.

They laid the twins out on a blanket next to the couch where Zev sat reading. Leliana and Gnat were engrossed in a deep conversation in Orlesian. Naseel stood behind Zaeed, alongside Rajed. Shale stood behind Sten. Keiron, who had been conspicuously absent from the dining hall when Kai had come in, was leaning against the wall drinking from a tankard along with Oghren, watching Zaeed and Sten playing dwarven checkers. Keiron winked at her and gave her his usual cocky grin. Kai rolled her eyes at him. As she passed, Kai heard Keiron giving Zaeed strategic advice about his stone pieces on the board. She stopped and watched herself when Keiron let out a great cheer. "That's the way, my Antivan friend!" Sten's stern face got darker, and a low growl could be heard.

Oghren belched, wiped his arm across his mouth and stooped to pour more ale into his mug from the keg he had sitting on the floor. "I would reconsider that move if I were you. You never want to upset a Qunari."

Keiron only grinned at Oghren. "But no one ever worries about upsetting Zaeed or I."

"That's cause a pair of nughumpers like you don't go around tearing people's arms off and beating them with them when they lose. Qunari have been known to do that." Oghren nonchalantly went back to gulping his ale. Kai felt herself suppressing a laugh. It was true, Sten could and would rip arms off, as she had threatened to have him do to that merchant when they were looking for his Asala. She doubted he would do such a thing over a game of checkers. Still, one could never tell with Sten.

Kai watched Keiron's reaction as he glanced at Sten who had his arms crossed and more of a scowl on his face than he usually had. He glanced back at Oghren, who had not changed in the slightest in expression or body language. "I see your point." Keiron looked at Zaeed. "On second thought, Zaeed, let the Qunari win."

"Bah! Would that not be a hollow victory for you, my fine muscular friend? Qunari win by skill and not intimidation." Zaeed grinned at Sten. "Intimidation is only a side effect of that skill, no?" Sten's usually immobile face broke into the closest thing he ever gave to a smile. Kai had to shake her head at Zaeed in wonder. She had only seen that smile once, when she had given him Asala.

Kai went and sat next to Zev on the couch. He reached over to the table sitting to his right and handed Kai the leather bag with Lelyth's ashes before wrapping his arm around her and drawing her to him. She nestled her head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth, taking comfort from it when she felt so cold, as she caressed the leather bag beneath her fingers. Zev said nothing, he knew he didn't have to. He just kissed the top of her head and went on reading. Kai looked at the book. It was the book she had given him at Solstice, _The Black Fox_. "You are just as bad as Wynne with _The Rose of Orlais_. You are going to wear out the binding." Kai teased him.

"Hmm, I managed to save it from the room when I retrieved the ashes. It is too precious for me to leave behind, like the person who gave it to me." His fingers danced along her silky hair. "How do you want to handle things tomorrow? With Lelyth's siblings?" She could hear him keeping his voice neutral.

"I have no idea. I mean, they know she is dead. I sent the letter she had in her belongings, the one they all write and keep for family or spouses in case they should fall. One of the soldiers we recruited at Gwaren took it when he went to Waking Sea with some of the villagers to hide out." Kai grimaced. "But they need to hear it from me. They are my responsibility now. The family Fergus found for them here will care for them. They are an elderly couple who lost their only son in the Battle of Denerim during the Blight. Fergus said they are overjoyed to have a house with young people in it again." He only squeezed her closer, stroking her hair. Kai felt wet warmth on his shoulder. She hadn't even realized she had been crying.

"Come, my dear friend, I think we should get you to bed. Tomorrow will be a difficult day for you." Zev stood up, grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. He picked up Fi and waited by the door for her before starting off to the living quarters. He went into Fergus's room. Again he always seemed to know. When he caught her expression, he laughed. "I did not have the pleasure of having siblings, but it seems only fair in retaliation, no?" She laughed at him and merely nodded.

They put the twins in the middle of the bed and got in themselves. She was smiling at them, noticing how long their eyelashes were as they lay on the smooth skin of their round cheeks. Maker, she had missed them. She was so absorbed it took a moment for her to realize Zev's pale amber eyes were watching her. She looked up. "What is it Zev? Is something wrong?"

She saw him flush slightly as she had only seen him do once. "Not wrong, no..." His eyes flickered to the twins and back to her again. "Just an interesting observation. You have said 'our' with regard to the room we share and the bed."

"Have I?" Kai smiled at him. "Well, you did offer me the earring. So, you and I are a 'we,' aren't we? And if we are a 'we,' then what 'we' share becomes 'ours,' right? Why, does it bother you that I used the word 'our?'"

Zevran laughed. "No, it does not bother me, far from it. And, I do not think I can argue with logic such as yours. Even if I were unhinged enough to offer any such objection. I may be many things, but insane is not one of them." He stroked her cheek. "Speaking of the earring, we could take care of that tomorrow." He kissed her lingeringly before blowing out the candle.


	70. Chapter 71

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, we have our meeting with Lelyth's three siblings, some piercings to do, and a little conflict between females. And will Fergus and Morrigan surface finally? Who knows? SPOILER ALERT: The beginning of this a chapter will touch on subjects from Mr. Gaider's book __The_ _Calling__ for those who haven't read it. And because it does, it touches on things from the new expansion Awakenings. Just FYI. : ) And don't worry, more sibling revenge will be coming to a brother in this story, but this isn't it. This chapter wrote itself. I was going to put in the meeting with Lelyth's siblings, but sometimes chapters end where they need to. I hope you all don't mind._

_Author shout out goes to MouseMage's "**The Path of the Mage**." : )_

_Shout out goes to Phoenix Fire Lady for bringing up the darkspawn issue and what kind of light Duncan and Maric may share from the Fade via Alistair. : )_

_And as always, my sincerest thanks to all of you. Lurkers, reviewers, and supporters, my friends, you are all such a blessing. Sorry I don't get a chapter out every day. And please, really, don't feel bad if you don't review every chapter. I mean it, anybody want a peanut? LOL. Seriously, I owe you an apology for not having it out like I want for you all every day. I owe you all, not the other way around. So, much love from me to you all! : ) And a thanks to eboncat who is just joining us and who has just finished Chapter 9 and won't see this shout out for a while, LOL. Ah, she has such a journey ahead. : ) I hope she will enjoy it._

_**Blessings**!_

_Kai found herself in Highever's Great Hall again, but it lay empty. Empty except for **him**. Her heart beat faster, her breath caught in her throat. Her other half, her beloved. As always, she felt him before she even set eyes on him. Her lips met his, her arms slid around his neck, her body molded effortlessly to his like two pieces of a puzzle. "Alistair." She whispered against his lips. Oh, how she missed him._

"_Hello, my love." He gave her his trademark lopsided grin and brushed her hair back from her face with his big hands. He may have been smiling, but he looked worried. She could see that the lines around his eyes had deepened, one of the signs that something was bothering him._

"_Ali, what is it?" She brushed her fingers along his cheek._

"_I was speaking to Maric and Duncan about the darkspawn you met on the North Road coming to Highever." He took her to the couch where she had sat with Zev in the material world. He linked his fingers with hers. "I was voicing my concerns about how they weren't retreating into the Deep Roads like at the end of all the other Blights. I was also telling Duncan about the high number of Alphas you met and the one Emissary. I questioned Duncan about that, as I was told that Alphas and Emissaries only show during a Blight. Granted, I had only been a Grey Warden for six months and hadn't the time to study all that I really needed to know. Still, I had read enough documents from the Warden archives to know that much." Alistair grimaced. "You should have seen their faces."_

"_Well, this can't be good." Kai could feel her heart beating faster, this time with a creeping sense of dread. Alistair went on to explain what happened when Duncan and Maric met for the first time. The order of the Grey from Orlais, consisting of the Grey Commander Genevieve, Duncan, Fiona, Maric and other wardens Kai did not know, had all gone into the Deep Roads. Maric went with them because he was mourning Rowan and had been told by Flemeth, no less, that there was a Blight coming to Ferelden and that Maric wouldn't be alive to see it, but his son would. Alistair told her how they had gone looking for a Warden taken hostage by the darkspawn instead of being killed when he answered his Calling._

"_But darkspawn don't have that kind of reasoning ability, not even with an archdemon to lead them. Even Alphas and Emissaries aren't that smart. And they weren't in a Blight back then." Kai just looked at Ali, and the lines around his eyes deepened. Her breath caught in her throat._

_He continued, telling her that the warden taken had been the retired commander of the Grey in Orlais and brother to Genevieve. The group had traveled the Deep Roads looking for him, as this Warden, one Bregan, had knowledge of where the old Tevinter Dragon Gods were imprisoned, the ones that caused Blights. They were afraid that the darkspawn would use this knowledge to start Blights, maybe one huge one with all the dragon gods left. If they could plan and kidnap a warden when they hadn't before, who was to say they couldn't have been planning just that? Or that was their thinking from what they had known then. Duncan and Maric told Alistair of The Architect, the darkspawn mage with human intelligence and self awareness, that they had met in the Deep Roads. This darkspawn did have the ability to plan ahead._

"_Funny how your mother left out the part about the smart darkspawn from her tale of your conception." Kai had a moment to wonder if Fiona was keeping anything else back about that time in the Deep Roads._

"_Well, she was told by the Wwrdens of Weisshaupt not to speak of it. Apparently, she lost the Taint due to The Architect's magic or the Head Enchanter's or something they are still not sure of. Like you, she cannot sense them anymore. Unlike you, she chose to stay a Grey Warden because it was that or go back to the Circle as a mage slave." Alistair went on about how The Architect planned on finding all the old Tevinter gods and killing them so the darkspawn would have no motivation, no leadership. No Blights. Then by making everyone in Thedas go through the Joining to become a Grey Warden, they would all be part darkspawn and there would be a meeting halfway between the two species – those that survived, anyways, __**if **__they survived. They would do the mass Joining by magic with the help of the First Enchanter Remille._

"_Maker's holy smoking blood! What kind of insanity is that? People die during the Joining! I was the only one to survive out of three! You are telling me that this warden they went to rescue and his sister, a warden commander no less, considered agreeing to this, this..." Kai jumped up to pace, running her fingers through her hair. She couldn't even begin to spit it out, so many words came to mind – travesty, insanity, sham, farce, lunacy, insanity, delusion, flapdoodle. "Did Duncan...? No, I can't believe he would. And he must not have, he was no talking darkspawn at Ostagar." Kai's thoughts were roiling. Andraste's knickers, the death toll of forcing a Joining on the population at large would have been incalculable._

"_Wait, my love, it gets worse." Worse? Kai already wanted to run in circles yelling. Alistair held out his hand to her. She took it and sat back down, her heart beating wildly as if it was trying to claw its way out of her throat. He told her that The Architect had figured out how to accelerate the Taint in Grey Wardens with his own magic and could turn them into intelligent darkspawn in a matter of hours or minutes, depending on how far along they were. The closer they were to the Calling and provided the warden survived it, the more the process could be accelerated. He and the First Enchanter had made brooches which helped to accelerate the Taint's corruption while the Grey had been traveling the Deep Roads. It was a test of the magic that the Orlesian mages were to unleash via objects made from similar materials in every town and city Thedas. However, Remille had decided that Orlais would not go through the change and would take over the rest of the world once and for all._

_The Architect had not seen the Head Enchanter's deception. Instead, he had finished the Taint's progress in Bregan, Genevieve and a dwarf warden named Utha. When Remille had revealed his treachery to The Architect and what the brooches were really for to Genevieve and Utha, Genevieve had second thoughts. Bregan, further along in his corruption, had fought his sister. The Architect had killed her. Bregan saw the insanity of the plan as he had not been able to do before. He turned on The Architect and tried to kill it. Utha stopped Bregan from killing The Architect, although Bregan did manage to chop off one of its hands before Remille started trying to kill Bregan. The Head Enchanter had a taste for darkspawn blood magic and its power, and he did not want to give it up._

"_So, do Duncan and Maric think this may have something to do with this intelligent darkspawn, this 'Architect?'" Kai wanted to hit someone. "Duncan and Fiona and all the other Grey all over Thedas never thought that this was important? Maric never thought to write it down for Cailan or Eamon? Maric knew there was a Blight coming, and he wouldn't be around for it? How tidy!" Kai loaded her tone with so much sarcasm, she was surprised it wasn't visible as a puddle on the floor. "Oh yes, by the by, there is a Blight coming and there is a smart darkpawn with reasoning like a sentient human. Oh, but wait there's more! He can do magic, and bonus! He can lead darkspawn like an archdemon! HUZZAH, everybody! Oh, don't worry about it, we'll all be dead or far from Ferelden when all this comes back to bite __**you **__in the arse. No worries! You all will just clean up the mess we left you with and that we didn't give you any warning of, yes? Thanks, m'kay, bye!" Kai got up and paced in earnest now. "NUGHUMPERS, all of them. When you see Duncan and Maric again, you tell them I am going to kick their sodding arses all over the Fade!" Kai walked over and kicked the stone wall of the Great Hall..._

And woke up when her foot connected with the wooden bedpost on her side of the bed. Her big toe was throbbing, but that was nothing in comparison to the fear that had gripped her heart in an icy fist. She went and stood in the patch of moonlight pooling on the floor from one of the room's small high windows. Kai could see the moon framed in it. She found herself looking not so much at it, but through it as she hugged her arms around herself. She had to be honest; she was angry that Alistair sacrificed himself for nothing and that the Blight wasn't over after all.

"No, my love, don't think that." Alistair's voice tried to soothe her.

"Sod it, Alistair! They lied by omission. A lie that can cost us what? More lives, more destruction? And now the possibility of an endless war with darkspawn between Blights! Bloody hell!" Endless war with the darkspawn had decimated the dwarves, constantly fighting in the Deep Roads. Now, it could annihilate them all, below the surface and above it. Kai started to shake. She was shaking so hard she just crumpled to the floor, sitting on her knees while hunching her body over them, her back curved as her arms wrapped around her body. She couldn't stop. She didn't know how long she sat that way. It was Zev's warm hand on her shoulder as he crouched down to see to her that brought her back to the here and now.

"Kai, what is it?" His warm voice was tinged with concern. She just shook her head. She was afraid to speak; if she did, it would come out as a scream and she would just start running mad. He curved his own torso over hers, warming her cold skin. She turned towards him, picturing a lamppost in snow. She wanted comfort of the flesh, to be touched and taken. She wrapped her arms around him putting her cold lips urgently to his. She felt his surprise at first, and then his lips parted under hers.

They started off slowly, tenderly. He kissed her nose, her eyelids, her cheeks. She heard him whisper her name. She ran her hands through his hair, running them around his head to massage the nape of his neck. This elicited a groan, and his hands started to roam over her breasts through the shift she wore, causing her skin to tingle and her nipples to harden.

Her whole body was alive as if lightening were crawling along her skin sending jolts of pleasure that bordered on pain with the longing they caused. He pulled her to him, deepening his kiss until she was making little humming sounds. She was foggy with pleasure and longing. So much so, she had to take a moment to get herself to focus when he pulled away. He pulled her up, sat her on the edge of the bed and left the room.

Before she could feel injured or hurt, he was back with a couple of servants who picked up the twins and took them from the room. Kai flushed; at least someone was thinking straight. She looked at her hands in guilt and embarrassment. He raised her chin to make her look at him before he bent down to place his lips against hers once again. His hands pulled her shift over her head as he gently laid her back in the bed. His lips were doing amazing things to hers. His long fingered hands cupped her face. Somewhere, he had stripped off his own night shirt, and his naked skin rubbed against hers, flooding warmth back into it. It was like lying in the sun.

She felt the heat and longing build once again. To be comforted, to be filled, to just be. She opened to him, and he filled her. His body warmed her cold one. They built to that aching crescendo so slowly and so sweetly. Pleasure bloomed softly, their bodies rising and falling in tandem as the need built to its inevitable peak, until they slid off the world together.


	71. Chapter 72

**BioWare owns all except what I made up. : )**

_SPOILER ALERT: More from the books in this chapter. And I hope you didn't mind the last huge spoiler chapter. I felt a chapter needed to be done that bridged the gap between my story and the new expansion. And I wanted to explain the large darkspawn group filled with smarter darkspawn. So thanks for bearing with me. I also hoped a little comfort lovin' with Zev was a nice little bonus for you all. I was certainly fun for me to write. : ) So earring time and Lelyth's siblings, really this time, I promise. ; D Also Rajed and his new weapon._

_SPOILER STORY for Awakenings. A shout out goes to Fluid Conciousness's new story "**Foreign Affairs**." It is a wonderful story of a mage Orlesian Warden Commander. I highly recommend it for your reading list. : )_

_Shout out to Night Hunter MGS, who gave me the inspiration for the cat fight in this chapter. : D_

_Translation of Naseel and Gnat's convo. N: Watch where you are going! G: No, you watch where you are going. N: Gnat? They should have named you Flea. G: Cunt. N: Kiss my ass, bitch. G: Kiss it? It is so skinny I would have to find it. Just what is your problem with me? N: I saw how you looked at Zaeed! G: He looked at me. I can't help it if he has wandering eyes and that they wandered in my direction, no? N: Go fuck yourself. I am going to kill you!_

_And thank you to two of my newest reviewers, KireinaKittie and IceYousha! Welcome to the story and I hope you continue to enjoy the ride as much as I enjoy writing it for you. And thanks to cmiller09 for putting my story on favorites. And as is my usual habit, thank you to all the lurkers, the supporters, the reviewers. What can I say, but you all make my heart go pitter pat. I am blessed. I admit it, I am addicted to your reviews and addicted to writing the story. Not bad as addictions go, I guess. : ) Anyway, hugs from me to you!_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai woke up, her naked body curled around Zev's. The sun was streaming through the windows, washing the room in early morning light. She snuggled closer to him, her hand brushing the smooth skin of his chest. In the light of day, she could almost convince herself that it had all been a nightmare, but Kai had never been anything but practical and a realist. As tempting as it might be to set aside what Alistair had told her, she knew she would not, could not, even temporarily for peace of mind.

She sighed. Zev's arms tightened around her, one hand gently stroking her back and the other her arm in a way that soothed at the same time as it aroused. "Much as I enjoy the art of love with you, my beloved friend, I know that last night was more than just that. You were trying to drive the demons away. So, what is it that has you so frightened, I wonder? Especially a woman who does not scare easily. What happened, Kaidana?"

Kai went on to tell Zevran everything Alistair had told her second hand from Duncan and Maric. Zev's hands stopped stroking her and became still. As she went on, his hands gripped her tighter, and he pulled her closer to him, kissing her forehead. "While it is disturbing," Kai snorted and he continued, "you are not alone. You never have been, and now you have more allies. _We _will do what needs to be done, no?" He raised her chin up to look at him and smiled at her. "I know this because I see the woman you are and the way you lead." He kissed her and then rolled out of bed to start the water running in the bath. "We will need to tell the others, though. And your Scath too. But for now, bath. Then we had better collect the twins. I don't know how much Fiona appreciated my sending them to her so late last night." Zev grinned back at her. "We can get Leliana to help us pierce our ears. And then you will need to see Lelyth's brother and sisters. They are coming for lunch."

"Zev, I always meant to ask you. The earring, you said you took it off a Rivanni merchant prince, your first job, and he was wearing nothing else?" Zev smiled and merely "hmm'd" at her as he poured bath salts into the tub, mixing the water with his hand. "How did Vimaro wind up with a second identical earring?"

"Ah, well I had hidden the first one from Vimaro. If he had known I had kept it as a keepsake..."

"He would have taken it and put it in his little box of trophies to gloat over." Kai frowned. "To 'train' you to be cold of course. Really, he just liked tormenting people." Kai's hand's gripped into fists. Zev walked over to sit next to her on the bed, taking her hand in his and uncurling her fingers, kissing her palm and then her wrist.

"When I started to have feelings for Rinna, I had another earring made to match it. It is almost identical but for one small difference only Rinna and I knew. Rinna had both ears pierced. That way, she could lie to Vimaro and say she had stolen the earrings while on a job. Vimaro was less likely to take things you stole off a mark as they would hold no value to you. If it wasn't important to you, he didn't have any interest in it." Zev looked at their linked hands. "When Taliesin slit her throat and after I..." She kissed his shoulder. "...After I spit on her I took the original earring back. The one I had made I left behind. I wanted nothing to do with it. Taliesin must have told Vimaro of my feelings for her, hence the contract to get me to kill her. Taliesin must have taken that earring and given it to the monster as proof the contract had been fulfilled. Even though Taliesin had to slit her throat in the end, he lied to get what he wanted. He became Vimaro's second."

"I am so sorry. I shouldn't have asked." He leaned in and kissed her.

"No, my friend, you are the only person I have ever been able to talk to about such things. You have never judged me, only accepted me as I am. You do that for all of us. It is truly a blessing. So, you will wear the one I took off the prince, and I shall wear the one I had made. That way you may be reminded when you touch it of how precious you are to me." He stroked her face and put his lips to hers. "I am going to get the twins. You take a bath. Then, I can take one."

Kai watched as he threw on some clothes and left. She got in the warm water and scrubbed down, using the scented soap on skin and hair. It helped to settle her more after last night's revelations. She rinsed off, drained the tub and filled it again for Zev. She had just finished getting dressed when Zev and Fiona walked in with the twins. Fiona grinned at Kai and winked, tilting her head towards Zev. Kai gave her a small smile in return as they got her and the twins settled. Kai wasn't sure how to handle the subject of what she'd learned the previous night, so she just plunged in and told Fiona about the group of large organized darkspawn and Alistair's information from the Fade.

Fiona blushed and looked away. "I should have told you. I was told not to speak about it by the Grey. But you are a Warden, technically, like me even if we don't have the Taint anymore. I had gone searching for Utha and The Architect, but we couldn't find them. The Grey in Weisshaupt had me call off the search. They assumed that The Architect died from his wounds, and they assumed Utha was turned into a broodmother." Fiona grimaced. "It was a nice fantasy the Grey convinced themselves of. We all, I suspect, hoped it was true. Especially Duncan, Maric and I. Utha was our friend, and yet she let that monster turn her into a darkspawn. She helped him. Her family had been annihilated by the darkspawn. She became a Silent Sister, swore revenge, became a Warden because of it. And still, she betrayed everything we were to join with the very thing she swore to kill." Fiona wept. "We lost good friends. Maker, I haven't thought of them in years. Kell the hunter and his Grey Warden dog Hafter. Nicholas and his love Julien." Fiona let out a little sob. "It hurts just as much now as it did then." She wiped tears from her face and tried to smile. "I am the only one left. Even my own son, gone before me." Kai reached out and grasped the woman's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Well, not quite everyone. You have your grandchildren." Kai smiled at her.

"And I have a daughter?" Fiona looked at her hopefully.

"You have a daughter, of that there is no doubt." Kai grinned. "And since I am your daughter, you get Fergus as well." Kai laughed.

Fiona gave Kai a mock grimace and wrinkled her nose. Kai laughed. Fiona helped Kai get the twins up and burped and changed. Zev, not bothered in the slightest by company, had gotten his bath while they talked and dressed himself. And had disappeared. Kai and Fiona were about to leave for the dining hall when the door opened and Zev walked in followed by Leliana. Leli looked very excited and had a leather pouch with her.

"Zev told me he wants me to help you pierce your ears!" The pretty redhead was practically bouncing up and down. "Finally, something to give you more of a feminine look! I tried to get you interested in shoes, but you won't budge. And this is so romantic, too! I can't wait to write a song about it for your ballad." She grinned, her blue eyes sparkling. Fiona had a quizzical look on her face, so Kai explained. Fiona just laughed and seated herself on the bed with the twins and watched. Leliana had Zevran sit down first. She took out what looked like a sewing needle, but larger and very sharp. "I know elves' ears are very sensitive, so I will try and be gentle."

"My dear, you could make this more fun if you had some rope or chains. Gentle, I am not worried about. But this could be so much more enjoyable for all present, no? I have three beautiful women here with a bed..." Anything else Zev was going to say was lost in a slight grunt as Leli jabbed the large needle through Zev's ear along the edge at the top. Leli quickly put in the earring that Zev handed her and held a cloth to the ear until the bleeding stopped.

"You had better watch it. I might take you up on your innuendo, young man!" Fiona laughed at him.

"Si, I would hope so! I had a friend who said older women have more experience. I had hoped to find out with Wynne, but alas, she is cruel and a tease." Zev winked at Fiona and gave Kai a sly grin before pushing her towards Leli.

"Ugh, is that shameless man hitting on my mother again?" Alistair's voice chuckled in her ear, only to sober immediately. "I am so sorry, my love, about last night. I hate being the bearer of bad news. But I couldn't stand it if something happened because you didn't have important information."

"Ali, I am not mad at you, or even really at Duncan, your mother, or Maric. I am miffed at them. But who am I to judge decisions from the past? I wasn't there. How much of what I do here, now, will be looked on kindly in future generations? And I did need to know, even if it scares the sod out of me. Thank you for telling me, beloved." Kai gave him a mental smile.

"I love you very much. Zev is right, you will do what has to be done. And you are not alone, for which I am very grateful." She could feel his smile and his love.

She was interrupted when she felt a sharp pain in her earlobe. Before she could protest, the other lobe and the top curve of her ear had all been pierced. Leli, the sneak, had pierced not just the curve of her ear for Zev's earring, but she had sneakily hit Kai with "girly" piercings and had stuck some bobs in the holes. "Leli! You were only supposed to give me one hole in my ear!"

Leliana just giggled. "Aw, please Kai, you won't even notice them once they have healed. And this way when you have to dress up, you will be able to really dress up." Kai just huffed at her. Her ears were throbbing. "Please, Kai don't take them out." Leliana pouted and gave Kai her "puppy dog" eyes again.

"UGH! Fine, I promise I won't." Kai caught Leliana giving Zev a knowing look which she could not interpret. She decided it was some secret joke and to leave it at that.

With that task done, they made their way to the dining hall to get some breakfast. Kai had one of the servants fill plates with food and place them on a tray to set outside the bedroom for Morrigan and Fergus, since they still hadn't surfaced. When they had eaten, Fiona and Wynne took the twins off to the garden, their heads together talking magic and potions no doubt. Kai and Zev decided to gather all the Scath and lead some practice sessions with them and introduce Rajed to his new weapon.

They gathered in the training area. Zevran took the rogues and assassins from her Scath off for training with a bow and to practice their archery skills. He was also teaching the Ferelden Scath who weren't ex-Crows the fine art of poison making after their target practice. Kai had Zaeed and Naseel stay with her so that they could offer support for Rajed. Kai had no doubt this would be frustrating and even emotional for him. He was going to have to retrain his body. As Kai had tried his new weapon with two good arms and smacked herself silly with it, she knew how difficult it was going to be for Rajed with only one good arm and a stump. She asked Leliana to help as well, since Leli was as cheerful and sweet and patient as she could be. She would help to bolster Rajed's spirits. Keiron was in the training yard also, and after speaking with Zev, he began to gather any Scath who were shield warriors for training and practice. Sten and Oghren were sitting and sharpening weapons while watching, along with Shale, the bustle of what could be a normal day. Unfortunately, Kai's life and world were anything but normal. She wanted to laugh. Her father had once told her that if anyone said, "may you live in interesting times," it was meant as a curse, not a boon. And Maker, was he right.

Kai reached up and touched the hoop in the top of her ear, and she thought of the rose in a wooden box in her room. Even curses could have their blessings. But, thinking about the rose in her room lead her to two people occupying said room and what was going on in it. ARGH! She gave herself another mental head slap.

Rajed had been practicing the balancing exercises while she had been away. She praised him and gave him the weapon, unwinding the chain and making sure the leather sheath was secure. She explained to Rajed how she had practiced with it, including tying her arm down. She showed him the moves that she had put with the unique blade. She offered him a demonstration and warned him it took her time to get the feel for it, being used to daggers not a chain with a blade. He had nodded and asked to take it off by himself. He told them he would practice by the lake and walked off in that direction. Kai worried over him. He was such a sensitive soul. But Zaeed and Naseel both assured her that he was doing better than they had expected. He had his moments, but they passed quickly. Kai nodded and motioned for them to follow her and join in the training.

Hours later, Kai was hot and sweaty. Judging from the position of the sun, Lelyth's siblings should be showing up soon. So absorbed in her own thoughts was she that it took her a moment to realize there was yelling going on, two loud angry female voices in fact. Naseel and Gnat were standing in the middle of the compound pointing fingers and each speaking in her native tongue. They both seemed to understand each other. Zev sidled up next to her and watched. Soon, everyone in the whole area had stopped practicing and was standing and watching the two beautiful elven women – one tall and dark, the other diminutive and light – square off with each other. _It's like watching the night sky argue with the moon,_ Kai thought. There had to be a poem in there somewhere. What they were saying to each other, however, was anything but poetic. In fact it reminded her of an argument she had witnessed between two prostitutes at The Pearl once.

"Reloj se va!" Naseel glared at Gnat.

"Vous regardez ont été vous allez!" Gnat waved her hand at Naseel in a dismissive gesture and started to walk away. Naseel grabbed Gnat's shoulder and spun her around.

"Mosquito? Deben te he nombrado pulgas." Naseel gave Gnat a wicked grin.

"Connard." Gnat spat on the ground.

Kai heard Oghren's trademark laugh. "Anyone want to take bets on when the hair pulling starts?" Kai tossed a couple of coins at Oghren and gave her time, then turned back to watch the ongoing argument.

"Besa mi culo, puta." Naseel growled. Kai had caught that one without trouble. It was about this time that Wynne and Fiona walked up, without the twins who must be with a servant and down for a nap.

"Ce baiser? Il est si maigre comment pourrais-je trouver?" Gnat's voice asked in mock sweetness. "Tout ce qui est votre problème avec moi?"

"Braska! Vi cómo te miraba Zaeed!" Naseel, face red with fury, stepped closer to Gnat.

"Ha votre ami Zaeed, me regardait." Gnat grinned, cocked her head and shot a sly glance at Naseel. "Je ne peux pas l'aider s'il a les yeux errants. Et ils ont erré dans ma direction, no?" Gnat winked and started to walk away again, while giving a low chuckle.

It was then that Naseel pummeled Gnat from behind while screaming, "Va Chingate, voy a matarte!"

They started grappling and clawing. When anyone made a move to stop them, Kai motioned for them to stand down. Best to let them get it out of their systems. They wouldn't kill each other. Well, probably wouldn't. Neither woman was using her training, so the threat of death was not a serious one.

"Hehe, I might need to go jump in that cold lake of yours, Warden, before they get done." The dwarf took a swig of his mug, his eyes attentive beyond just watching for said hair pulling.

Zevran chuckled. "In Antiva, there is a place, well several, where they would be dressed in thongs and tassels and would fight in a pool of warmed oil or mud or something we call chocolate. This is far too dusty, though not without its enticements, no, my dwarven friend?"

Oghren looked at Zev. "Oil, huh? I wonder if they ever tried fighting in beer? Now that would be something!"

"If they did that, Oghren, you would get thrown out for trying to get in the pool with them and drink it." Kai grinned at him.

"Hah, Warden, very funny!" Oghren wiped his mouth with his sleeve after taking another swig from his mug. "But, you're probably right. I should get myself to Antiva sometime."

Kai saw that the dust was finally settling as it appeared that Naseel and Gnat had stopped fighting and were lying on their backs, side by side in the dirt of the compound floor, breathing heavily and sporting various bruises, cuts and bloody lips. She watched as they looked at each other. Kai wasn't sure if they were going to start up again or if they were going to kiss each other instead.

Gnat got to her knees, stuck out her hand to Naseel and said in perfect Antivan. "Amigas?"

Naseel laughed and gave Gnat a great big grin, speaking Orlesian. "Oui, amis!" Naseel threw her arms around Gnat's shoulders still laughing as Gnat put her arms around Naseel's waist, and they walked towards the barracks' bathing area, talking. Kai didn't know if the varying glazed looks on the males, and even some of the female faces, were due to the fight, their sudden cease fire friendship, or the idea of their bathing together. Zaeed and Keiron's glazed little wolfish grins she understood perfectly. Oghren had the same look. She laughed out loud at them; only Oghren didn't jump and look sheepish.

Jarren, who had been watching the fight and the crowd in his usual way, did not seem to be as affected as the others were. "I will never understand women!" And with that he took himself back to practicing with his daggers on one of the dummies.

It turned out that Wynne won the pool on when the hair pulling would start, with Zev and Fiona a close second and third. Oghren handed over the coins to Wynne who had a little triumphant smile on her face. Kai snorted, _Figures_. She did wonder if Wynne hadn't had a cat fight or two in her past, for all her calm demeanor.

Kai was just about to see about getting a bath and changing for Lelyth's siblings' visit when a Highever guard came forward with a young man of about sixteen, a girl of about twelve, and a little girl about six. Even if Kai hadn't been expecting them and Lelyth hadn't talked about them so much that she felt she knew them, she still would have known they were related to her former Scath. The boy, Graeme, looked just like his older sister, with the same blonde hair and big blue eyes. The older of the two girls, Kylie, had blonde curly hair and eyes the same shape and size of Lelyth's, but in a light gray that was almost silver. The little one was the only one who didn't look so much like Lelyth. Mairi was strawberry blonde with light green eyes which were opened wide and taking in everything.

Kai felt her hands go clammy and her heart catch in her throat. She walked forward to greet them. Graeme strode forward and slung out his fist, catching her on the jaw before she could duck. The guard grabbed the young man by the shirt front, and several Scath started forward. Kai waved them off and motioned for the guard to let the boy go. She picked herself up and faced him. Graeme's face was a mask of hurt, anger and anguish. "You killed my sister! First we lose our parents, and then you kill Lelyth!"

"I did, I was her leader. And she died because of a traitor I did not see in our midst. You have a right to be angry. To hate me even. And you have the right to a sucker punch. Now I offer you two more without me stopping you. One for each of your sisters too." Kai shrugged and stood waiting.

It was Kylie who stepped between Kai and her brother, putting up her own fist. "If you touch her Graeme, by Andraste's flaming knickers I will knock you down and break your nose like I did when we were little!" Mairi started to cry, and Graeme's face crumpled. Kylie went and grabbed her sister in a hug. "It is okay, Mairi, don't cry. I won't hit Graeme." Her face when she turned back to her brother was still angry, but she went to him and touched his shoulder. Graeme looked at Kai, his shoulders slumped and tears streaming down his cheeks.

Kai stepped forward and put a hand on his shoulder, her own tears wetting her skin. She looked him in the eye. "I am sorry, Graeme." He just looked at her and then buried his face in her shoulder like a lost little boy. Kylie and the little one all joined in surrounding him and Kai. They stood like that until the bell rang for lunch.


	72. Chapter 73

**BioWare owns all, except what I made up. : )**

_So, Kai and Zev get their earrings put in, and that sneaky, beautiful bard got Kai more than once, just to give her a girly thrill. But who can stay mad at Leli? Not even Morrigan I wager. And speaking of our favorite swamp witch, what about her and Fergus? Revenge is a dish best served cold, so the saying goes, but what if it is served hot? Also, a little more with Lelyth's siblings and Kai. What would you do if your Scath's young brother wants to join, right after you just watched her die? Not to mention his age. And teenagers, I remember when I thought I knew everything, now I know I do, ROFL! Just kidding, actually, I would like to think that I am now wise enough to know I don't know everything. Also, Satinalia Day fluff coming up; I couldn't resist. I mean, writing the reactions of my interpretation of our beloved group to Kai's "Fool's presents?" I couldn't avoid the temptation, so that will be forthcoming, including what Fergus and Kai give each other. It is a Ferelden holiday after all, and yet again I was inspired by BioWare and their great writers. And of course my wonderful fans!_

_Shout out goes to Night Hunter MGS, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! : D Okay, really do pay attention to him. The revenge of Zev and Kai on Fergus? It was his idea that inspired me. And some of the dialogue is his, since he included it in his suggestion and it is that good. I am glad he did, I needed help, I am an only child after all. I never had to get revenge on anyone, and who would I blame, the dog? So, it is Night Hunter MGS that helped me with this. Thank you aka Chainsaw!_

_And a shout out to Ladyamesindy for her inspiration for "the curse for doing it to your parents" scenario in this chapter. LOL! It fit so perfectly, I had to use it from your email. : )_

_Mouse Mage, your story isn't drivel, it is very good! So there! : P You stop talking trash about my friend/yourself! : D_

_And thank you all who review, who put me on favs, the story on favs, and my lurkers. You rock! A special thanks to those like eboncat, and Piceron, who plowed through it. That includes Fluid Consciousness, who has printed it out to read on the bus to work. WOW! I am so in awe of you all. And thanks to my newest, Aquarius42 (love that name, I am an Aquarius) and mbwils for adding my story to alerts and favs respectively. I couldn't do it without you all._

_Oh, just to explain in case you all noticed the rating change from T to M. The sex scenes and violence will be the same. I just got to reading the rating system again, and I think I understand it better now than when I first rated this story. I don't want to get in trouble for the violence, and I felt maybe I should put it on M for that. The sexy stuff I prefer to leave to your imaginations with some sauce by me. So, I am not changing how I write, just trying to be careful of the kiddos. I can't help it, I am a worry wort. : )_

_Sorry this took so long to get posted. It was angst filled in the beginning. But I think, or hope, you will find the bonus ending worth the wait. : D_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai and Lelyth's siblings had all gone to the dining hall when the bells rang for lunch. When they finished eating, she asked them to meet her in the Great Hall while she went to fetch the ashes from Fergus' bedroom. When she got back to the hall, it was to find her extended family, minus Fergus and Morrigan, fielding questions about Lelyth. Even Sten was answering some while holding little Mairi on his knee.

Kai walked in, and all faces turned toward her with varying degrees of sympathy. She took a deep breath before holding out the leather pouch with the ashes to Graeme. Kai chewed her lower lip and sat down to face Graeme and Kylie. Kylie looked at her with eyes bright with unshed tears, "Thank you, Scathach, my lady."

Kai's voice caught in her throat. "It is just Kai, Kylie." It was Graeme who sat staring at the ashes, seemingly lost in thought.

When he looked up, he had tears on his cheeks and a determined look in his eyes. "I want to join the Scath. I want you to make me one like my sister."

"No." Kai kept her face neutral though her heart was pounding.

"What do you mean 'No?' You owe me!" Graeme's face turned red, and he jumped up from the couch where he had been sitting.

"Graeme!" Kylie admonished her brother.

"NO! She owes me!" He balled his fists and glared at Kai.

"I don't owe you, Graeme. I owe Lelyth. I owe it to your sister's memory to keep you all alive, safe and well cared for. All of which I intend to do." Kai looked Graeme in the eye. "You will recall being a Scath under my leadership is what got her killed? I would think that those two things alone would stop you from wanting to be a Scath. Aside from the fact that you are too young. You are what, sixteen Summers?"

"If you don't recruit me, I will just run away and find someone who will let me fight." Graeme's face had turned a deeper shade of red and his eyes were bright, his chin set. "I will, I swear it!"

"And you will get yourself killed, imekari." Sten spoke in his deep even voice to Graeme. "I suspect that you have had no training in how to fight. Ferelden is not Seheron with the Qun. Everyone knows his place there, and so your training would have begun at an early age. You, like all of your kind, have been left to search for a place. Now, you think that place may be the path your sister took."

"I know you are hurting Graeme, but being a Scath will not lessen that pain, nor will fighting as a mercenary or whatever other ideas are running through that thick skull of yours." Kai felt her own desperation creeping in. She would not lose Graeme as she had his sister.

"You have no idea what you are talking about!" Graeme started towards Kai his fists balled. It always amazed Kai how fast someone as big as Sten could move. Before she even had a chance to blink, Sten had set little Mairi down gently and stood between herself and Graeme. "Parshaara!" Sten's big hand grasped Graeme's shoulder, encasing it in calloused fingers. "Vashedan, imekari. If anyone knows what she is talking about, it is Kadan. Everyone in her family, except her brother, was killed in front of her. You should ask her about pain sometime." Sten's immobile face turned towards her. "Kadan, if this imekari were to train now, how long do you think it would take him to be efficient in battle?"

"If he works hard and depending on where his talents lie, maybe two years, maybe three." Kai looked at the giant Qunari. He was planning something.

"Then he should train. In two years he will be eighteen and an imekari no longer. He could apply to join the Scath then could he not?"

"That would be...better. That is still young though." Kai looked at Sten.

Before Graeme could protest, Sten shook the boy's shoulder. "That is close to the age you lost your parents and became a Grey Warden, is it not, kadan?" Sten's lavender eyes studied her blue ones.

"That is why I said it is still young. But I have no objections. Sten, Oghren, Leliana, Zevran or Fergus can put you in the training area with wooden practice equipment, and we can see what you will be as a fighter. Depending on what fighting style you are good at and feel comfortable using, we can get you started. Then, you can train here at Highever castle with one of us until we have to move on. After we leave, Fergus can find you a trainer for your style."

"That should be sufficient for you." Sten's immobile face turned back to Graeme. The Qunari's statement sounded more like an order to Kai. Apparently, Graeme felt the same way as he nodded and allowed himself a small smile.

"If Graeme gets to learn to fight, so do I!" Kylie's voice broke into the silence that had fallen over the room. Kai groaned.

"Your brother is close to being a man. You are an imekari and will be for quite a while." Sten turned his stern gaze on the girl.

"You said that in your lands ime...kari," Kylie stumbled over the Qunari word, "are trained from an early age. Well, I want to be trained. I want to be a rogue like Lelyth! I can fight. Ask Graeme. I broke his nose when I was six and he was ten. I know I can fight, and I am not afraid to do it."

"Be that as it may, my one objection still remains. You are too young." Kai pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. She had a moment to wonder if this was her curse for doing the same thing to her parents.

"Actually, little sister, you were Kylie's age, if I am not mistaken, when you got your arm broken trying to use a shield and sword in a training session proving you could fight like _your _big brother." Kai heard a familiar, beloved and exasperating voice behind her. She rolled her eyes as she turned to meet her sibling and a familiar golden eyed witch walking into the Great Hall. It was her curse for doing the same thing after all. Andraste's knickers! Just what was she going to do with her own children if someone else's were this much trouble?

"Oh, finally came up for air did you?" Kai stuck her tongue out at Fergus, causing little Mairi to giggle, and even Graeme and Kylie joined in. "Yes, and I seem to recall a certain older brother who argued with me that I was too young to be playing with sharp pointed things and I was just going to cut my own limbs off by accident."

Fergus grinned at her. "And look at you now, little sister. A better warrior than I will ever be. And you still have all of your limbs! Amazing!" Kai grinned and punched him in the arm.

Kai turned to Kylie. "Fine, but if we test you and you need to wait, will you?" Kylie grinned and nodded. "What about you Mairi, do you want to fight too? Because you really are too young just yet." Kai got down and looked at the little girl.

Mairi giggled and shook her head while grabbing Sten's big hand bashfully. She pointed instead to Leliana's feet encased in pretty, delicate shoes. "You like my shoes? Oh how wonderful! Do you like the dress too? They match see?" And Leli gently pulled up the hem of the dress to show off the shoes more. Sten growled low, and Kai had to try and keep from laughing.

"Ugh, stop trying to corrupt the child with your bubble headed love of useless frills!" Morrigan's voice jabbed the pretty bard.

"Oh Morri, you might be happier if you wore something other than those heavy boots." Leli just laughed and batted her lashes at the witch. "And I thought that your having se..." Kai coughed really loudly and looked pointedly at Mairi, then back at Leliana. "I thought your _spending_ time with Fergus would make you a happier person." The redhead smiled while poking fun.

"My having se..." Fergus jabbed Morrigan gently in the ribs earning him a scowl. "What? They must learn sometime about what goes on between men and women!"

"Yes, love, but Mairi is a little girl, and Kylie is a little young yet. I know Flemeth had other ideas, but she was not a sterling example of motherhood, now was she?" Kai expected Morrigan to scowl, make some scathing remark and dismiss Fergus. Instead, she smiled and stroked his cheek rather than slapping it.

"'Tis true, Fergus." Morrigan turned back to Leli. "Very well then. Look, I _am_ happier for having 'spent time' with Fergus, as you put it. That does not mean I was struck stupid and lost all my wits. Shoes are for walking in and should only be used as torture devices if one is say, torturing someone?"

Lelyth's siblings were really laughing now, as were the rest, save Sten and Shale. It was into this happy exchange that the older couple with whom the children were staying showed up to walk them back to Highever. Kai thanked them once again, asked if they needed anything, money or clothes for the children. They shook their heads, but agreed to send word to Highever Castle if they did. Kai also explained about the training sessions for Graeme and Kylie. Kai offered to have a carriage brought for them, but they declined. It was a pleasant night, and they would walk. Kai insisted on an escort and sent two guards along with them.

Since it was getting close to the dinner hour and Kai had yet to wash up from their training sessions with the Scath, she figured she ought to take herself off to get cleaned up. She started walking towards the hall where the bedrooms were. She had a momentary pause as to which room she should be using now. Kai figured that until she had their room (which Morrigan and Fergus had used) scrubbed down, she would just go back to the room she had commandeered from Fergus. Kai got to the room and shut the door; she was just pulling her shirt off when she felt fingers tickling down her spine.

Kai whirled around to see Zev's golden eyes sparkling with laughter as he grinned at her and slipped out of his own shirt. "It is only fair that I try and catch up since you got a head start, no?" He grinned more widely. He dropped his shirt and wrapped one hand around her waist as the other took the shirt she had been grasping to her chest and dropped it on the floor next to his. She had time to envision a lamppost in snow before his lips were on hers, his tongue exploring her mouth, his teeth nibbling her lower and her upper lip. His hands had her out of the bandeau wrapped around her breasts in even less time. The hand not holding her to him set about caressing the hard points, starting a familiar throbbing ache that seemed to pulse with the beats of her heart.

"I thought I locked the door." Kai managed to gasp out at one point, her breath catching in her throat.

"I picked it, of course." Zev lips moved against her throat as he nibbled his way down to her collarbone. She could feel his lips curve in a smile.

Before she realized it, he had moved her to the foot of the bed and sat with her in his lap facing him, her back to the door. His lips feasted on one breast then the other until her breath was reduced to gasping little cries, when he would change the intensity of his ministrations. His hand reached up and fisted in her hair, bringing her lips to his once again. She thought her system might just overload as it was. But he gave her a gentle nibble here, a bite with a tongue to slick the same spot soothing it away, the next. Then, he changed the angle of the kiss until she was so wrapped up she couldn't even moan. She dimly registered that she could feel Zev's arousal against her inner thigh and that they were both still wearing entirely too much clothing for her liking.

It was at that point that Kai heard a deep, almost strangled, cough behind her. Kai pulled her lips from Zev's, her arms automatically crossing over her breasts to cover them. She felt her face getting very red while Zev looked around her to the door. Kai turned just enough so she could see her brother and Morrigan standing in the door way. Fergus was pale with two red spots high on his cheeks.

"Oh dear, did I forget to latch the door? How very forgetful I am." Zevran gave a sly grin as his eyes shone with amusement.

"And now I think I need to go find the dwarf and see if I can't get him into a drinking contest. I know he always has a keg tapped. I am going to need to start drinking heavily _now_ to get this out of my head. That was a hit, little sister, a most palpable hit." And with that Fergus turned around and strode quickly down the hall.

Morrigan stood there laughing so hard she bowed over with her hands on her knees. When she finally stood up, she wiped tears from her golden eyes as she tried to speak over her mirth. "Oh, 'tis a most glorious revenge, sister. Well played, well played indeed." Morrigan's laughter could still be heard as she shut the wooden door behind her. Kai could only stare at the brash man sitting beneath her smirking while his hands grasped her hips.

"And thus, your dear brother has paid, plus interest. No need to thank me for my services, my dear Kai." His grin got wider as Kai could only register incredulity at his timing and the skill required to set the whole situation up.

"I...I honestly don't know whether to be angry or to make love to you until we both pass out. You are unbelievable!" Kai found herself grinning back at him.

"I would say both, my beautiful friend. Angry sex is good sex! And if you mean unbelievably awesome, then si, I am." He just laughed at her.

"You think any sex is good sex. You are a scamp, a scoundrel and a rascal. And there is only one thing I can think to do with a reprobate like yourself." Kai got off his lap and started towards the door to lock it for certain this time.

"Oh, and what would that be, hm?" Kai put her back to the door to see him grinning.

"Since you are the miscreant, I get to make the rules, yes?" Kai smiled at him

"Sounds both enticing and intriguing. Shall I get unclothed now?" He tried for an innocent look.

"Yes, and you should stay where you are. One rule, no touching until I tell you to." Kai gave him a sly smile of her own. "Time to see how much control and discipline you really have. Let's put it to the test, shall we?" Kai had only set out to seduce one other man in her life, the only other man with whom she ever felt secure enough or safe enough with to do so. The only other man she trusted so implicitly.

She kept her blue eyes on his pale amber ones which seemed riveted to her. She ran her hands over her breasts the way his had only moments earlier, while slowly making her way to the bed. She watched him watching her. She smiled when she saw him lick his lips as if he were thirsty. She trailed her hands down her flat belly, stopping when she got to the top of the leggings she had on. She started to put her fingers at the hips to take them off, but changed course when she saw his eyes following her hands like a hawk follows a mouse.

Instead, she ran a finger along the edge of the leggings, tugging the top edge down and exposing her belly button and a portion of her lower belly while licking her upper lip. When she got a little moan, she peeled them off and stepped closer. She watched his hands flex and grasp the bed edge as she stripped off her small clothes, stepping out of them as she moved up to him, straddling his legs. She bent down running her hands up the back of his neck to rub the base of his skull, which elicited another rumble in his throat. She smiled, rubbing her lips softly against his. She nibbled his top lip then the bottom before she pulled back, her breath mingling with his before her hand fisted in his hair and she just glued her lips to his. His mouth may have met hers, his tongue warred with hers, but his hands stayed put.

She figured it was time to up the ante then. She broke off the kiss and pushed his torso down to the bed. She ran her fingers along his upper body, allowing them to play along his honey colored skin. They roamed along his chest, the muscles of his abdomen, and lower. She watched his pulse race in his throat, admired the way the sweat had popped up and beaded his skin. Heard his gasps and moans and the sounds of the bed clothes being grasped in a vise-like grip. He had his eyes closed as if it were taking every bit of concentration not to reach out and grab her. It gave her a feeling of power that humbled her at the same time, that he would let himself surrender this much to her when keeping in control and always alert could mean life or death for him. It only deepened what she felt for him and the true gift he was giving her.

"Kai." His voice sounded hoarse and the sound of it only made her own body ache. She slithered over him like a snake and melted onto him, trapping him in her wet, hot heat. His hands grasped the blankets beneath them so hard the knuckles were white as he gasped her name again.

Kai leaned in and thought she would simply lose herself right there. "Zev, you can touch me now." He growled, and his hands grabbed her hips, fingers digging into her flesh as he moved her against him. Again, it was like sliding across ice at breakneck speed. She called out his name as it hit her, the peak of what she had brought to both of them. In seducing him, she had seduced herself too. She felt her body bow back and shudder while his did the same.

They were all slick with sweat, and she slid off to the side, her breath coming in little spurts. She put her head on his sleek chest and listened to his own ragged breathing and a heart that galloped inside his ribcage. His hands stroked her shoulders and her back. "Zev." Kai raised up to look into his face. It took a little time, but his eyes finally opened to look into hers.

"Hmm?" He smiled at her.

"Thanks for making Fergus pay. And consider this your payment for all the times you laughed at my discomfort while it was going on. You may consider that debt paid in full as well. No need to thank me for my services, dear Zev." She grinned at him while he laughed.


	73. Chapter 74

**BioWare owns all except what I made up. : )**

_Ah, I hope you all enjoyed the steamy hot revenge scene. Sometimes revenge is a dish best served white hot, no? : ) And this chapter is going to be Satinalia Day fluff. Well you know me, it will have realistic emotions in it, I can't stand shallow fake stuff in stories. Fluff is good if it is well done. With that said, I only hope I do it well. Please, feel free to tell me if I don't. I am counting on you all to keep me straight. I do have the best people reading my story. You give me suggestions, and I know you will tell me if I am full of it or what I write is too one dimensional. No pressure on myself to make a fun frivolity real. ROFL! : D And I hope you will enjoy yet another OC, that I came up with on the fly. I will get to the gift giving in the next chapter, I had to shorten this one. It was getting too long and I really needed to go to bed, but I wanted you to all have a chapter. I hope you don't mind. Think of it as a cliffhanger._

_Also, another shout out for the movie "The Princess Bride," as one of the Fool's gifts is an homage to it, thanks to Night Hunter MGS. Tee hee. And I give a small visual shout out to Mardi Gras in this, as I see Satinalia as Ferelden's version. Laissez le bon temps rouler, everybody! : D_

_And a shout out to one of my favorite bands and my favorite album of theirs. They Might Be Giants and "Flood" with the song "Whistling in the Dark." You will see my reference to it in the story. Just love them._

_Author shout out goes to our own Violet Theirin! Her short "**Painful Mercy**" is so damn good. I warn you, it will haunt you for days and bring a box of tissues when you read it. But please, read and review it. It deserves some reviewing love. It is fantastic. : )_

_My love to you all. My fans both heard from and not. My reviewers, my lurkers you are so wonderful. And thanks to gaelsong1234, biffandalex, Shenzi123, ceejay 18040, and Flame589 for adding this story to favorites. I am awed and humbled every day when someone adds this story to their list. Thanks so much you guys! And to Phoenix Fire Lady, thanks for the email sweetie; I know you still read it, you are a peach. And Xeriana my reviewing student, hugs back at you too sweetie! : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Two days later, Highever, both the town and the castle, was like a beehive on the first warm day after a hard Winter. And finally, Maker be praised, the Spring weather didn't include cold and sometimes freezing rain that still felt like Winter. The servants were all running to and fro decorating the castle for Satinalia, a Ferelden feast day of fun, foolishness and mayhem. It helped to loosen up pent up emotions and the cabin fever that often occurred during long cold Ferelden Winters and the slow cold starts of the Ferelden Spring. It was a big day of fun and play before the ground that was now soft enough be tilled had to have crops planted. Before barns would be mucked out after a long Winter. Before homes would be swept out and bedding aired now that the days no longer threatened freezing rains and occasional sleet. Fishermen could go out on their boats once again as the sea was no longer hit with sleeting storms and tumultuous waves. The weather now allowed open air marketplaces to start up trade, and the activities of making a living could start. Satinalia was a day of frivolity before the hard work of living began again, one last huzzah, so to speak, before buckling down into the day to day commenced. It was also a holiday where the town "fool" was made monarch for a day. There would be a big wooden throne on a platform in the town's square for the "monarch." Fergus, being the Teyrn, would be crowning this year's town fool. There would be booths with food and games of chance and skill, including a game called Drench a Wench, where several of the town's ladies from the local brothel would sit on a stool over a big barrel of water. The stool would be attached to a lever that when hit with a bag filled with beans would release, dumping said strumpet into the barrel. The game was a popular one, especially amongst the townsmen who had the pleasure of seeing the ladies' clothing become satisfactorily clingy. All proceeds went to local charities in Highever. The game always made enough that every charity received a fair amount.

The town would be decorated. There would be copious amounts of drinking, eating and fun. It was also traditional to give gifts. Kai could hardly wait. To help her pass the time, she had spent the last couple of days practicing the Scath vallaslin on a side of pork she had taken from the larder. Her Scath, who had been taught by the Dalish, had told her that the skin of a pig or nug was closest to the texture of the skins of elves, humans and dwarves. Since a vallaslin, once done, could not be undone, she wanted to practice before she put it on Zev's skin. It made her nervous, truth be told. She had no desire to mar him, and Maker, what if she messed it up?

So Kai had been practicing on the hapless side of pork in the practice yard while the Scath around her worked at their training. She figured Leliana wasn't about to let her practice on Schmooples. Kai was squinting over her work, her tongue between her teeth as she concentrated, tapping the tool with the wolf's tooth. Kai found that having all the noise around her in the training yard made her focus more. The practicing Scath made her think of Rajed. Rajed was still honing his skills in private, but he had finally allowed his brother and Naseel to watch and give her a report. They simply smiled and assured her that she would be pleased with the results. They told her that Rajed had a plan for the unveiling.

"That is a very attractive look for you, my dear Kai." Zev's breath tickled her ear as his fingers kneaded the nape of her neck, causing her to yelp and smack the tool, making a long line of blue along one of the crescents. She huffed in frustration.

"Dammit, Zev! I am trying to get this perfect. I am not about to touch you with these tools until I do." She scowled at him. "I suggest you behave yourself when I actually get to put this on you, or I might wind up making a tattoo of a Mabari or a nug."

Zev just chuckled at her. "I once saw a man in Antiva who had a naked woman on his stomach and when he moved the muscles she would dance. You could always do something like that." He gave her a sly grin.

"If I did that, you would spend all your time in front of a mirror looking at yourself." Kai grinned at him. It was a loud shrill voice behind them that caused both of them to jump and everyone in the courtyard to stop what they were doing.

"IS THAT MY SIDE OF PORK?" Kai and Zev turned to find a brown haired, middle aged woman with wisps of hair flying out from the tight bun she had tried to pin it into. Kai couldn't help but stare. The woman was like a younger, plumper version of Nan. She even sounded like her, except she spoke like a Crimson Oar. "Andraste's ass, so this is where it got to! And just what have you done to it? How am I supposed to cook that? I should rip out your eyes and piss in your skull! That is a complete waste of food that is. And I have an inventory I maintain. Now my count will be off, so you are just going to have to buy another side of pork when you're in town. And see that you get one the same size. I have a castle to feed, not some little farm hold." The woman put hands on round hips and glowered at Kai.

"Perhaps, my dear woman, you don't realize that the pork technically belongs to Kai as lady of Highever?" Zev purred at her, using his most charming voice.

The cook turned her angry countenance on Zevran, crossing her arms in front of her very ample chest. "I don't give a knicker's twist! And if she was the Queen herself, I would say the same thing. As for you, your charm is wasted on me. So save it for the chits around here that are fool enough to fall for that smooth voice and that handsome face, including this one." The woman nodded her head at Kai, who couldn't help but giggle. "I have a tight ship to run, in fact I used to cook for a ship. Bunch of pirates they were, so know this, I can cut off what hangs down and serve it as a snack, see if I won't." The woman waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, I know you're Antivan, got the markings of one of those assassin types. Ran into one of those once. My rolling pin and my meat cleaver took care of him just fine."

Zevran just laughed and stuck out his hand. "My dear lady, you have me there. I am Zevran Arainai, Zev to my friends. And I hope you will be a friend, as I have no desire to have a run in with your rolling pin or your meat cleaver."

The woman actually laughed back as she stuck out a hand attached to muscled forearm and pumped Zev's hand before offering it to Kai. The grip was very strong and assertive. "Olwyna is the name. Your brother hired me in Denerim. I figured I was tired of salt water coating everything, and the men I worked for were just a little too rough around the edges for me. I wanted to be around people who didn't swill beer, belch and fart after every meal. I wanted to cook for those who would notice if it tasted good, rather than a lousy bunch of louts who wouldn't have noticed if I served them glue with shoe leather in it." It was at that moment that Oghren sidled up, swigged from his mug and belched loudly. Kai flinched, considering Olwyna's comments.

"Who's the dame with the nice rump roast?" Oghren had to look up as Olwyna towered over him.

Olwyna just bent over, picked up Oghren by the shoulders and planted one long kiss on him while his feet kicked as he dangled helplessly in her grasp. She then set him back on his feet and grasped the braids of his facial hair, giving them a tug. "Why, tiger, I am the woman who is going to marry you!" Oghren turned red in the face, stammered and practically ran out of the courtyard looking over his shoulder as if the Archdemon itself was on his heels. Olwyna just brushed her hands together in a manner of one rubbing dirt off of them. "There now, that should take care of that scoundrel. See that you bring me back a pig to replace that one. And I will be fixing a special set of dishes for Satinalia, so mind you all don't overeat in town, you hear?" And with that they watched Olwyna's ample hips walk out of the courtyard back in the direction of the kitchens.

"I must find out, my dear Kai, how your brother came to meet up with and hire such a creature. You must remind me to sic her on Oghren more often." Zev winked and grinned at her. "I was coming to fetch you and the others, my dear. We are going to go to the town and enjoy ourselves, no?"

She smiled and took his proffered hand to help her up. "Oh yes, but you heard Olwyna, no over indulging in food." Zev shared a laugh with her. Kai gathered the Scath and had them all get cleaned up and ready to go. As Fergus would be part of the opening ceremonies for Satinalia, he was already in town with the Mayor. Kai gathered her group, and they and all the servants of Highever, save the guards who were on duty, made their way to Highever town. Those guards volunteering to miss the opening ceremony would switch out with their fellows who went early so they could enjoy Satinalia in town this evening. The rule was, everyone got to enjoy the holiday no matter their station.

Highever town looked as it always had. It made Kai's eyes tear up. It was all so normal, so familiar. It felt as though her parents would walk up the street at any moment, beckoning her to go to the platform where the giant, ornately carved wooden "throne" sat awaiting the official "Fool" of Highever, the one to be crowned as "monarch" for the day. One year the leader had been the town tabby, a tom named Sprinkles. Another year it had been the son of the blacksmith. One memorable year, it had been a Ceffyl. Kai couldn't wait to see who it would be this year.

People in the crowd were in various costumes and funny hats. Many were wearing the brightly colored wooden and glass beads from Satinalias past strung around their necks. Most had mugs filled with ales, lagers, wines, ciders and meads. She could smell roasting sausages and turkey. In fact several people had sausages on sticks or large turkey legs. The crowd parted and made space at the front for Kai and her group. She watched as her brother Fergus strode up the steps of the platform decorated with Spring's first flowers and flowing banners of cloth in green, purple and gold. He looked so like their father, it made her heart clutch painfully in her chest with longing. Fergus smiled and waved his hands for the crowd to quiet. "We have voted on someone a little different for our monarch this year."

"You mean different from the Ceffyl?" a jovial voice called from the crowd, causing laughter to ripple out and making Fergus grin.

"I should say we actually voted on someone who is not originally a Ferelden. This person has just come to us from the far away city of Antiva!" Fergus looked down into Kai's crowd. "Please welcome our king for the day, our 'Fool' and the young man who has gotten to know our little town and has been helping the widow Saraid Ansleygh, Rajed!" Fergus beckoned to the shy young man, who was blushing furiously as he made his way up the stairs. Kai and the others had found out that Rajed had been visiting the town and had been helping the elderly widow who had lost a husband to illness and then her son at Ostagar. Apparently, the old woman had taken a shine to Rajed, and he had a soft spot for her as well. He had been helping her tote water and do chores around her house. The townsfolk had taken notice as well and had adopted the Scath as if he had been at Highever all his life. Kai suspected it had a lot to do with his healing faster and getting his bearings back after the loss of his arm.

Fergus put a robe striped in green, purple and gold around Rajed's shoulders, pressed a scepter made of wood painted gold in his hand and put a hideous, tri-curved, belled jester's hat on his head. The brim of the hat was a fake gold crown in metal with glass jewels in it. Rajed blushed, but he was smiling. Fergus grinned and clapped him on the back. Rajed cleared his throat, "Let Satinalia begin! Dejar que los buenos tiempos!" And with that the crowd roared in good cheer and dispersed to take in the booths and games. As the "king" Rajed would be waited on hand and foot, and he would get various prizes donated by the merchants and townsfolk. Kai hoped it help finish the healing process. She gave him a grin and a wave, which he returned. Kai turned to find that her group had wandered off to explore, save Zev who linked his arm with hers.

Zev, of course, found the Drench a Wench game almost immediately and was just as quickly banished from it, as his aim was too good and they were afraid he would drown the poor girl. Not to mention he would have won all the prizes they offered for those good enough to hit the target, had he agreed to take them. He only accepted one, two little stuffed Mabaris which he gave to Kai for the twins. "That would be more challenging if they made the target move." Kai laughed at him as she kissed him lightly on the lips.

"And you still would have won all the prizes." She grinned at him.

"Oh si, but it would have been more challenging." He chuckled at her. They spent their time wandering around, taking in the short plays and performance art. There was a puppeteer and jugglers. Even the falconer from the castle put on a demonstration of the art. She and Zev enjoyed some local wines and some cheeses, mindful of Olwyna's admonishment. Kai made a stop at the butchers and ordered another side of pork as well. The afternoon was wearing on into dusk, and it was getting close to the dinner hour when Olwyna would expect them all back to eat. They would return after dinner to partake of Satinalia at night.

Kai and Zev were on their way back to the front of Highever town and walking through the marketplace where shopkeepers had started to light lanterns for the coming evening. It was the elven man lighting a lantern who caught Kai's attention. She knew him; he was the jeweler who made the exquisite treasures that looked like plants that had been all the rage of the Ferelden nobility before the Blight. Kai wondered if he still had the set that looked like rowan branches with red garnets for berries. She put a hand on Zev's arm and nodded toward the shop. She followed the shop keeper into the store as he had finished lighting his lamps. The man smiled at her, not really recognizing her at first. "May I help you?"

"Um, yes. Well, it has been a while, and I don't see it in any of the display cases. Do you still have the necklace, earring and bracelet set that looked like rowan branches with berries made out of garnets?" Kai smiled at him as his face lit up in recognition.

"My lady Cousland! Or should I say Hero of Ferelden?" He leaned in, acting as if he was pointing to something in the display case and whispered. "Or 'Silver Griffon?'" He winked. "I have been keeping my ears open when I visit the nobles houses with their orders as well as listening to what's said here. I have signed up with the cause my lady. Your family has always been good to me and mine. Your grandfather gave my father a loan to start this shop." He stood back up. "I am sorry, my lady. I sold that particular set already." He gave her a sympathetic smile. "Perhaps I can interest my lady in this necklace set that looks like lavender? The blooms are made with amethysts. It would be very becoming to madame's skin." He said this all in a normal tone, but whispered once again, "I will continue to serve, my lady. Please don't hesitate to use my talents in any way you see fit." Kai smiled at him and nodded.

"Hmm, I will think on the necklace of lavender. Thank you, though." Kai stepped out into the cooler evening air and continued her way back to the castle. A big bonfire was in the process of being built to set ablaze when dusk fell into night. Kai started forward when it occurred to her that Zev was not with her, or she had thought not, but then she turned and found him right next to her. "You weren't picking pockets, were you?" She gave him a cheeky smile. He chuckled at her and shook his head. He grabbed her hand, kissed it and tucked it into the crook of his arm as the bells rang for the dinner hour.

They made their way back to the castle, meeting others in their group who had started back before the bell. They all made their way into the dining hall. Fergus had managed to get away and sat with Morrigan, both of them leaning in and talking, their heads together. They could have been flirting or planning an insurrection. It gave Kai a warm satisfied glow, especially since they were all back in their own rooms now.

Olwyna had not been exaggerating when she had said she made food just for the Satinalia feast, "feast" being the operative word. There was enough food to feed an army. It was set up buffet style again, as for Satinalia, the castle was open for the townsfolk to come and eat with the Couslands. It was one of the many ways that her parents had connected with those who looked to them for leadership. Kai and Zev made their way to sit with their usual group. There were a good number of her Scath here as well as townsfolk. The room was warm with so many bodies and filled with the loud humming of many conversations going on at once.

After about an hour and a half, the lanterns were all shuttered, candles were blown out. Olwyna along with three other servants came out carrying a huge cake with lit candles on its many tiers. It was a huge, icing covered confection with the colors of Satinalia picking out details of swirls and dots, and a jester made of marzipan decked the top. Fergus and Kai got up and blew out the candles, plunging the room into darkness, and then they all started to whistle in the dark or made animal noises or other strange sounds, anything sounding foolish to mark the ridiculousness and fun that life can be. Then, the lanterns were all unshuttered, torches and candles relit. Everyone laughed and clapped. Kai and Fergus were to do a toss to see who got the jester on top. Zevran tossed a dagger instead of a coin, having them call "blade" or "hilt." Kai suspected Zev of tossing it so she won, so did Fergus who laughed when Zev gave a cheeky grin and shrugged. Kai pulled the marzipan confection in half and gave one half to her brother. She popped a piece into Zev's mouth, giving him a quick kiss and a smile. Cake was passed out to everyone present with extra pieces put on plates for others who might wander in during the evening and smaller cakes held back in the kitchen as more people came in for some.

As they ate their cake, Sten looked at her with his intense gaze. "I had heard there would be cake. I am glad to see the cake was not a lie, kadan." Kai laughed and nodded.

"Please, everyone, meet me in the Great Hall when you are done." And Kai grabbed a servant, whispering in his ear; he nodded and smiled. She made her way to the hall before the others and saw that her plans had been completed just as she had asked. She sat on the couch in her spot and waited as the others followed her in.


	74. Chapter 75

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, I introduced you all to that pip Olwyna the cook of Highever castle. Glad you liked her so much! I have to confess, so do I. And she certainly knows how to handle Oghren. Gotta love that. And Night Hunter MGS, I literally came up with her on the fly. I have no idea where she came from; I just had to have her show up and give Kai hell for the slab of pig._

_I hope you all enjoyed the celebrations in town. Drench a Wench, now E has to confess to being a Ren Fest junkie who wears a corset and costume and goes at least every other year, if not every year. Yes, now you know E's deep dark secret. Okay, not that dark or secret, but still. : D And as Night Hunter MGS pointed out, just what was our trouble making assassin up to? And now we get to the gift giving. Again I apologize for cutting the other chapter right before they all get to that, but E was needing to go to bed and the chapter was getting way too long. So thanks for staying on the wild and fun ride that is the Kai coaster._

_Also, another shout out for the movie "The Princess Bride," as one of the Fool's gifts is an homage to it, thanks to Night Hunter MGS. Tee hee. (This was supposed to go on this chapter not the last one.) Chainsaw you clever, slick man. Like my favorite Antivan. : ) And a shout out to Harry Potter, you will, I hope, recognize my homage in the name of Shale's pet rock._

_And another shout out to Night Hunter MGS, who helped my writer's block on Fool's gifts for the rest of my OC gang and what to do with the doll for Morrigan since Ali is in the Fade. His ideas were ingenious! Now I must sing: "It's Pinky and The Brain, it's Pinky and The Brain, one is a genius, the other's insane!" He's the genius, so guess which one that makes me? LOL! Thank you my friend! You pulled my bacon out of the fire with the gifts. I will admit I was sweating it folks! This is an example of why you are all so invaluable to me. So send those emails, and when and if you can, keep reviewing. It really helps me. : )_

_Jeanny, my sweet friend, never fear, I can never go more than a couple of chapters before we get our Ali fix. But keep asking those questions in reviews, you help keep me straight, and the story entertaining. I really do just love you all! : ) Fess Jeanny, you are a lamppost licker! : ) Psst, me too. : )_

_Author shout outs go to Ette Meyer here on FF aka EtterStarz on the BioWare forum and Cadsuane here on FF aka LadyDamodred on the BioWare forum. Ette Meyer's story is "**Gift of the Magi**." Please read and review. It deals with emotional angst of an old love from her past for the fem Cousland. And it has some nasty implications from remnants from Uldred and that whole nastiness that happened at the tower. It is very well written. Give it some well deserved love, the author would love to hear from you! And read Cadsuane's "**Sundered Order**," which deals with after the Blight. The Orlesian Grey are just creepy. It has intrigue. I have only been able to read the first few chapters, but I am anxious to catch up. Her Zev is fantastic and so is her Alistair. And westiex9 on the forum has "**Alienage Blues,**" an elf detective mystery. Nuit Nuit on FF has a great Ser Cauthrien/Loghain romance called "**The Summer Sword.**" Last but not least, lovely little short stories from vilnii on the forum "**Parchment From a Tevinter Ruin.**" : )_

_So that brings me to my signature thank yous! Thank you reviewers and lurkers. I am so humbled. Once again I get emails that tell me my story is added to favs and alerts, wow, just wow! So special thanks to Luz SheChameleon for putting "Soulmates" on your favs. And for putting this tale on Story Alerts FadeSpirit, Dasque, and Ancoliannie much thanks! And thank you to Zute my latest reviewer, who read the whole thing in one sitting! YIPES! I will try continue to keep you all entertained._

_And an E face palm moment; I didn't realize that I had to set the filter on "M"and hit go for me to see my story on the FF page when I uploaded the new chapters. I actually emailed the support staff at FF, who very politely told me I would have to do that to see it. Yep, I think I need the Picard and Riker double face palm, because one face palm just isn't enough! ROFL! /blushes_

_And I am so, so, so, sorry for this really long delay in posting an episode in our saga from my usual frantic posting. I have not been getting enough sleep (Night Hunter is going to come after me now), and work has been busy, so I haven't been able to write like I have been. I hope you will forgive me. And that goes for the authors who I am doing shout outs for too. I will try not to go this long again, unless I have a good excuse. The dog ate my computer, I came down with a case of dead, right Ladyamesindy? Those are all valid excuses. : D_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai sat and watched them all wandering in, including Fiona and Wynne who placed Fi on her lap and Duncan in Zev's before finding the paper jester hats with their names on them. Argus had been allowed to come too, though he had a big white conical collar around his neck that looked like a lampshade. Wynne had explained she had put it on him as he would not stop worrying the wound. The big hound came to look Kai in the face and give her his classic "sad eyes." "Don't bother, you won't get me to take it off. Wynne told me you won't leave the wound alone. So, you will just have to keep it on. Sorry, old boy." Kai scratched him under the chin. Argus gave a resigned grunt and lay at her feet. It didn't take long for all of them to find their seats.

While waiting for them to file in, Kai gave Fi and Duncan their little stuffed Mabari that Zev had won for them. They laughed and proceeded to put them in their mouths. Kai grinned at Zev and shrugged. Kai then winked at Fergus who, in the Cousland family tradition for Satinalia, had helped Kai set this all up. Kai looked at all the people who held her heart. "I know most of you are not going to be familiar with this holiday. And may find it a little strange."

"That is an understatement, kadan." Sten sat with his lips crimped in disapproval as Leliana put his jester hat on him. "I fail to see the need to wear such a head covering. It provides no protection. And that your people are doing ridiculous things just because the weather had warmed is truly strange and serves no purpose."

"Well, at least there was cake." Kai grinned at him.

"True." His usually hard face softened slightly. Kai couldn't help but smile.

"Well, during Satinalia we give gifts. And so I have them for all of you. I have been slowly collecting them since, well, during the Blight. I had hoped to give them to you last Satinalia, but well, we were all a little busy. So here you go." Kai winked at Fergus and pulled over a heavy sack filled with presents wrapped in brightly colored cloth in the colors of Satinalia. She had the others pass them around to their soon to be new owners. Some were obvious due to their shape not being easily hidden by cloth.

"We all take turns opening so the others can enjoy your gift too." Again Kai winked at Fergus. "Morrigan, why don't we start with you?" Kai smiled innocently. And they all watched as the witch opened her gift. Her hawk colored eyes opened wide for a moment, her eyebrows shooting up her forehead.

"What is this supposed to be?" Morrigan scowled at her.

Kai leaned forwards to "look" more closely. "It looks like a book."

"I know 'tis a book, do not be an imbecile. 'Twould not be be a useful book for one such as I." The witch's voice sounded exasperated.

"I am not sure what you mean, sister." Kai batted her lashes.

"'Tis a copy of the bloody Chant of Light!" Morrigan huffed.

"Unabridged." Kai smiled at her.

"What?"

"Unabridged. I figured since you're going to marry my brother, you might want to brush up on the chant. I mean the Chantry does get particular about that sort of thing." Kai again gave Morrigan her most innocent smile. "Shale, I think you are next." Kai gestured at the golem as Shale had been smirking at the witch as she stood behind her and Sten on the long couch they sat on. Shale's big stone hands were surprisingly agile and opened the package with speed and gentleness.

The stone giant's face lit up. In her open palms sat a white pigeon cooing softly. "_It _is most generous to provide me with a present I can squish. I only wish I had more than one." And with that Shale closed her palms with a resounding CRACK. The golem's face was one of pure satisfaction, until she opened her hands. There sat the pigeon, cooing, none the worse for its resting place between two stone palms. It bobbed its head and looked at the golem, cooing more. Shale's face drew down into a fierce scowl before crushing the bird in one giant fist this time. She gave a satisfied "huh," and opened up her hand only to look at it in shock. There sat the pigeon bobbing its head and cooing the same as before. Before Shale could attempt to crush it again, the bird flew up and landed on one broad shoulder. Kai pointed at Sten indicating he should go next.

Sten opened his present which was obviously a sword. There was no real way to wrap a sword without it being obvious unless one put it in a heavy box. The wrappings fell away and the room was suddenly lit with a rainbow of colors from the long sharp metal. The twins were fascinated and sat staring at it with wide eyes. Especially when the butterflies appeared fluttering around the blade. "What is this supposed to be, kadan?"

Again, Kai leaned forward, keeping her face schooled as well as she could. "Why, Sten, I thought followers of the Qun did not ask silly questions. It looks like a sword to me."

"Indeed, but this cannot be a sword. It has, colored light emanating from it. And it has...butterflies. No one would create such a thing to fight with. Swords are for fighting. Therefore, this cannot be a sword." Sten's mouth crimped down in disapproval.

"Well, I was assured that it is indeed a sword. It is dragon bone in fact. Dragon bone is a quite rare and sought after material for weapons and armor." Kai opened her eyes wide in mock seriousness. "I thought you might use it as a back up, just in case." She smiled and pointed to Oghren. "You're next, my fine drunken friend."

"Don't mind if I do, Warden." Oghren was well into his cups already, this being a holiday. It took him a little fumbling, but he finally managed to get the box unwrapped and opened. "What in the sodding, nug humping universe am I supposed to do with this scented dung?"

Kai leaned forward again. "Why Oghren, you bathe with it. I thought since you and Felsi forged the moaning statue in the bathtub, that you would appreciate a little scented soap. For when you see her again." Kai smiled.

"It has lavender, and...and flowers!" Oghren's face got red. "The box has LACE on it! Andraste's knickers, Warden, are you trying to ruin my reputation?"

"I am truly sorry, my inebriated friend. I thought you would like it." Kai feigned being hurt. Oghren just grumbled and drank heavily from his mug. Kai could barely keep from bursting out laughing. It was proving very difficult. She could see, out of the corner of her eye, that Fergus was having the same problem schooling his face.

Kai pointed to Zaeed next, who gave his usual infectious grin and opened his gift. A pair of gloves, which he promptly tried to put on, only to find the right-hand glove had six fingers on it. Zaeed just grinned and saluted Kai. "I can slip a vial of poison in the empty finger. How smart of you, Scathach." And he laughed.

Naseel went next opening her package to find an apron in a garishly colored material, with a appliquéd pot of flowers picked out in it and lace around the hem, the neck and the arms. Naseel only stared at it. Gnat opened hers to find a very pink, very soft, very frilly child's dress, complete with shoes and a big bow for her hair that matched the dress. She grinned from pointed ear to pointed ear and looked at Kai. "MOMMY!" Which had everyone laughing. Everyone by this point who wasn't familiar with the holiday were catching on. Those who were native Fereldans, well they already knew.

Keiron, who wore his jester hat at a jaunty angle, grinned and opened his with relish and showed everyone an etiquette book on proper noble behavior. "I suspect, my lady, you should borrow this after I have read it, no?" Kai laughed and wrinkled her nose at him.

Fiona's "fool's" present was a book of quotes about mothers-in-law. She smiled and stuck out her tongue at Kai. Wynne smiled and "unwrapped" her present which obviously was a cane. She did her deadpan Wynne voice. "Oh, how nice, thank you." But she winked when she said it. "Does this cane smell of...of cat urine?" As soon as she said it and her hand grasped the handle, a scruffy looking tabby cat appeared and curled around Wynne's legs before becoming interested in hunting the butterflies hovering around Sten's sword. Wynne giggled like a school girl.

"His name is Fluffkins." Kai laughed at Wynne.

Leliana put her hand to her mouth and giggled before opening her present. It was a pair of the ugliest purple and green iridescent boots ever made. They looked like beetle's carapaces, and Kai had been assured that the obnoxiously colored boots were dyed from hundreds of thousands of insect husks. _What a waste,_ Kai had thought. But they were perfect for Leli's "fool's" present. The pretty bard wrinkled up her nose, holding the boots between a forefinger and her thumb. "Oh, how lovely, thank you." Leli's pretty voice said sarcastically. "I wanted to get you interested in shoes, but if this is what you buy, I think you shouldn't be allowed to purchase footwear anymore."

Jarren, the quiet, steady, serious Scath, went next. His gift, a book of jokes. He only cocked an eyebrow at Kai and then burst out into laughter, something Kai had never heard him do.

Rajed had managed to get back to the castle from being "king" but he was due back for the nightly festivities. He opened his present to find a pirate hook. He punched Jarren in the arm to get his attention as Jarren was involved in reading his present. He showed his fellow Scath, who punched him back and laughed again. That was twice in one night too. Kai wasn't sure if Jarren's face wouldn't go numb at the unaccustomed facial expressions.

Zevran took up his present, with Duncan and even Fi leaning in trying to "help" him unwrap it. Zevran's hands hit metal, and he extricated his present from the folds of purple cloth encasing it. Kai waited to see what he would say, as his hands held a metal chastity belt. Kai had found it in Wade and Harren's shop before Harren had banished them from it permanently. "Ah, we could have so much fun with this my dear Kaidana, couldn't we? I am seeing a black leather corset for you, and..." Kai laughed and put her finger to his lips. He grinned and kissed it. He leaned in and whispered in her ear where no one else could hear. "I hope you have the key." She gave him a sly grin and flashed the key in her palm. "Ah." And he nibbled her ear causing her to blush.

Kai went next, opening the box her brother had handed her. Nestled inside on golden paper sat a leather Mabari collar with her name engraved on a metal tag on it. The note read:

_I begged mother and father to get a Mabari instead. Happy Satinalia, little sister._

_Love, your big brother,_

_Fergus_

Kai hugged her brother, grinning as she kissed him. And then it was his turn. He looked at her and unwrapped the tube shaped present, which was a scroll. He popped the wooden cap ends holding the scroll rolled up and unrolled it. He gasped once and then turned bright pink, letting the scroll re roll on its own. "Oh, you are evil, little sister. Very, very evil. Mother and Father should have adopted a Mabari!" But he laughed as he said it. Morrigan snatched the scroll and burst out laughing.

"Why 'tis a most realistic likeness of how you and the elf looked when we walked in on you! Oh, well played again, my sister, well played indeed!" Morrigan's golden eyes flashed in merriment.

"I take it you drew it yourself, my dear Kai?" Zev's eyes twinkled at her as she nodded.

"You didn't think I would describe how we were to anyone else to draw did you?" She blushed but returned his grin.

Kai looked at Fergus and winked. "Well, as you have all guessed these were your foolish and fun presents. But, I had you all sit in certain places so I could give you all your real presents. They are under your seats. I hope you all like them. I gathered them, believe it or not, while we walked across Ferelden. Bodahn helped me by collecting them from the places I had stored them, Denerim and Redcliffe mostly. These are things I hope show you how much you all really mean to me." She smiled at them, grasping Zev's hand.

They all ducked under the couches and chairs they sat in to grab the parcels there. Instead of waiting this time as each unwrapped their gift, they all acted like kids at Solstice. Soon there were exclamations, oohs and ahs as they showed off their true gifts. Kai bent over and grabbed the magicked stick that she had found for Argus. She gave it to him while patting his huge head. "Happy Satinalia, boy." Argus just gave her a happy bark. "Yes, I will take you out tomorrow, and we can play." She grinned at him.

She looked around the room with a satisfied feeling warming her. Zaeed showed off the fencer's shirt to Naseel who held up the Scath symbol brooch with malachite in it for her rank as Kai's second. Gnat held up the instrument case which was really designed to hold her new ball on a chain weapon. To all who did not know, it would look as though she was carrying a harp. The case also had smaller hidden compartments for daggers, poisons and garrotes. She smiled as she looked for all the hidden pockets.

Keiron's hearty laugh rang out as he pulled out a black leather, tricorn pirate hat. He quickly swept off his jester hat and put it on, slapping Rajed on the back. "My friend, you have the hook, I have the hat. We just need a parrot and then we could go to The Pearl and impress the ladies there." Rajed laughed at Keiron's waggled eyebrows.

"It could take the insufferable, indestructible pigeon. It is flying vermin, as are parrots. That would be close enough, wouldn't it? Then, it could give it to one of the strumpets and leave it there." Shale frowned as the pigeon cooed in her ear. The golem's frown turned into a grin though when she opened her present to find a smooth rock.

"It is a pet rock, Shale. I wasn't sure how to tell if it is a boy or a girl. Bodahn assured me that only a golem can tell, and that really dwarves or golems are the best owners of pet rocks. What are you going to name it?" Kai smiled as the big stone giant stroked the rock's smooth surface tenderly.

The golem seemed to tilt her head in thought, at least as much as her head would go to the side. "Norbert." And she continued to pet it gently. Kai grinned and shook her head.

Wynne held up her necklace with a cloudy glass ball wrapped in silver. When she put it on images of Greagoir, Petra and Irving all appeared behind her. "The Amulet of Memories. Where did you find it?"

"In The Wonders of Thedas." Kai felt her heart clench. She had remembered all too well what had happened when the proprietor had insisted she try it on to test it before she bought it. Her parents, Oren and Oriana had formed in front of her. She had snatched it off lest Duncan and Cailan had shown up too. "I found Sten's present there as well." She looked over at the giant. He sat holding the leather bound book in his big hands as reverently as he held his sword Asala when she had returned it to him. "Shok ebasit hissra. Meraad astaarit, meraad itwasit, aban aqun. Maraas shokra. Anaan esaam Qun. I hope you like it, my friend."

"Careful, my love, or Sten might fall in love with you and carry you off to Seheron to be converted." Alistair's voice sounded tipsy, he was almost giggling.

"Are you drunk in the Fade?" Kai laughed at him

"Hey, it is Satinalia here too. Duncan told your father, my brother and Maric about that time he found all the Grey passed out in that drinking contest against the chap from the Anderfels. So we had to recreate it, sort of." He snorted as he tried to hold back a giggle.

"Sounds like an excuse for you all to get pissed to me." Kai told him sweetly.

"You know, that is just what your mother and Oriana said too. Oops, gotta go my love, it's my turn with a pint." He made a sloppy kissing noise in her ear and was gone while she chuckled.

Sten looked at her. "For you to have found the book of Qunari prayers in this unenlightened country is truly amazing, kadan. First Asala, and now this. I am...Atash esaam Ashkari, Kadan." Kai nodded and gave him a small smile, trying not to tear up.

"You're welcome, my friend." Kai nodded at him. It was Fiona who come over to Kai with tears in her eyes to kiss her on the cheek. Kai had given her one of Alistair's favorite figurines. It was the golem figurine that Kai had given him. She had included a note which explained what it was. She hugged her mother-in-law back.

"Well, shave my back and call me an elf! You outdid yourself, Warden!" They all looked as Oghren opened his Beard Flask.

"It is also..." Kai stopped speaking as Oghren had opened the flask and poured its contents down his throat before belching loudly, "filled. Or at least it was. I included a bottle of what you just drank to refill it with."

"Did you even taste it my friend?" Zev inquired of the Dwarf. Of course given the name of the beverage in question, Kai figured it might be better if he didn't. It was named "Dragon Piss." Kai didn't even want to wonder if it was really said substance or how one would go about obtaining it. She shook her head grinning. Leliana punched the dwarf on the arm and pulled out a beautiful lute made of honey colored wood. It was obviously Orlesian make.

Kai had found it in one of the junk shops in Denerim. The lute had beautiful climbing roses painted on it under its glassy varnish. When Kai had picked it up, its varnish had been bubbled and blackened with age. It was covered in dust, and the strings were missing. It was the little ornate signature burned into the wood on the back that had told Kai it was a treasure. It was a lute made by the famous violin, lute and cello maker Alamendine. The instruments were highly sought after and worth the entire fortunes of some countries of Thedas. She had had Fergus take the lute to the music store here at Highever Town and have it refurbished and restored to its original luster. Leliana for once was speechless. Her eyes filled with tears, and she plucked the strings reverently. She blew a kiss to Kai with one hand while stroking the lute as a lover with the other. "It is precious. Thank you, thank you so very much."

"Precious as the person who now owns it. You are welcome, my dear friend. It seems such a small thing for all you have done and continue to do for me." Kai smiled at her.

It was at this point that Kai snuck a look at Fergus. She saw her brother clenching his fist with a stony look. Kai had a momentary flutter of unease, and she wondered if her gift was too soon for Fergus to appreciate. Morrigan, sensing his disquiet, stroked his arm while watching him with her golden gaze. When he caught Kai looking at him, he smiled and shook his head, his voice husky. "I only wish I had been there to help you kill the rotten bastard." She reached across and gave his hand a shake. He opened his palm and showed Morrigan Arl Rendon Howe's ring sitting on it. "Thank you, little sister." He gave her a small smile.

"My dear Kai, I cannot say how much I appreciate your thoughtful gift. Where did you get rare Antivan brandy from?" Zev's eyes looked over the brown bottle's dusty surface.

"Well, I found it in Vimaro's things. He had a thing for brandies. But he did not open this one, I don't know why. I took it to the vintner here in Highever. He offered me the Sun and Moon for it, and I told him it was a gift and I wasn't there to sell it. I thought the poor man would fall down weeping. Apparently, it is that rare. I only hope it hasn't turned into vinegar in all of its travels." She smiled at him. He looked at it a moment more before stroking her cheek.

"I believe it is your turn, little sister." Fergus looked at her. Kai raised her eyebrow and pulled a flat box out from under the couch. She unwrapped it and pulled off the wooden lid. A parchment envelope lay on top of the contents. Her name was written in her Father's handwriting. She lifted it off to find the silver necklace set made with garnets to look like the branches of the Rowan tree. She felt her breath catch while she put a tentative finger out to touch the cold metal. "Zevran mentioned it, and I knew Father would have bought it for you. You always did have him wrapped around your little finger." Fergus winked and grinned at her. "I found it tucked away in Grandfather's study in the old desk Father used." Kai felt tears wetting her cheeks.

She opened the parchment and inside was a letter in her father's hand:

_Dear Pup,_

_Your gave your mother enough happiness for her to have a present too. You never ask for jewelry or other more 'girly' items as you call them. Your mother practically ran me down to the jeweler; I think she was afraid you would change your mind and ask for armor or a new set of daggers. Know that your mother and I couldn't be prouder. And we consider ourselves some of the luckiest people in the world. You and your brother are a constant joy. Happy Birthday, my fierce girl._

_Your doting Father and Mother_

Kai held back a sob. "Oh put on the necklace, Kai!" Leliana's cheerful voice broke in. She grinned at the redhead as Zev put the necklace around her neck and fastened it with a small kiss.

Kai realized the only person who had not spoken about her present was Morrigan. She looked at the witch, who sat with her present in her lap. "Should I get you something else, sister? I know it is not the usual sparkly jewelry you love, but a Chasind was selling them in Lothering to make some coin to travel. I saw it and thought of you, since you came from the Wilds."

Morrigan smiled that slightly quirky smile she used when doing her "scary face." "Oh no, sister, 'tis most wonderful." Morrigan held up the hoop of wood with leather lacings in a spider web fashion looped in it. The lacings created an empty space in the center and in that dangled a little man shaped doll. "'Tis a Chasind Dream Net, is it not?" She smiled more widely. "'Tis used to stop unwanted dreams and bring only pleasant ones. 'Tis hedge magic, but 'tis most effective. With a few changes to the doll I believe I can give the Fool Templar a lesson he will not forget."

"Um, what do you mean? I thought Alistair had only come to you when I was in trouble." Kai stared at Morrigan. She could feel her eyes narrowing. "Alistair!"

"Uh oh!" Alistair's drunken voice slurred in her ear. "Some-body's in trou-ble," he sing-songed blurrily.

"Yes, that someone would be you!" Kai growled at him.

"Oh, right! I think I hear your father calling!" And he was gone once again.

"Oh no, once he realized he could visit me, the idiot has enjoyed coming to me in the Fade to tease me. I think the doll in the middle will do nicely as a substitute for the fool. I think a few pins before bed will remind him that only emergencies are required or wanted for his company." Morrigan grinned wider.

"Promise you will not maim him or really hurt him?" Kai frowned at Morrigan. "Morrigan!"

The witch waved a dismissive hand while turning up her nose. "Very well. 'Tis allowed for me to cause him small accidents then?" Kai nodded.

"And I think you should visit my mother and tell her what he has been doing as well, sister." Kai smirked.

"I like the way you think, my sister, I like the way you think!" Morrigan gave her a wolfish grin.

"Happy Satinalia, everyone!" She grinned at her extended family


	75. Chapter 76

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_I am glad I made you all laugh. Though I did it with a lot of help. And the "girl talk" with our swamp witch about her first time will be coming up. Thanks to Night Hunter MGS, my dear beta reader, the chainsaw of writing that lives up to his nickname Chainsaw. *hugs to you my friend* If it weren't Night Hunter's help on the girl talk dialogue, we wouldn't have had it at all. E was an abject failure at real girl talk. YAY for beta readers! The moment on Oghren and Leli funny will come back I promise. I think we are going to need it later. Trust me, we will. And Rajed is going to show off his fighting style with the new weapon against his fellow Scath. But I think one little surprise awaits him in the form of our littlest OC. : ) Zev gets his vallaslin, no naked lady for him, poor Zev. More bronto poo doo hits the proverbial multi-bladed spinning thingy. It is going to get ugly again folks._

_Author shout outs go to Rancho Relaxo here on FF and Stuffy38 on the forum. Rancho has several stories, but I chose "**Uncommon Soldier**." It mixes the noble origin line with the Dalish one. The most unique take on DA:O stories that I have seen. Please read it! : D to Tarante11a for her story "**Rogue On the Rocks.**" It is both on FF and the forum, author's name is the same both places. Zevran lovers, rejoice! It is a fantastic story. I have a rec by our own Misame but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I am so sorry, sweetie. I haven't forgotten your recommendation, I promise. Her rec is for Freckles04's story "**Repercussions**." And to soignee on the forum and Sianie on FF, her story is "**Dead Duster Walking**."_

_And of course my thanks to you all. My reviewers and lurkers. And special thanks goes out to ProsePrincess, Devanelle, nillan88, and PhoenixDownAt20 for adding "Soulmates" to favorite story! I am humbled and can't thank you all enough. And to my reviewers, reviews really keep me going, so much love. And my lurkers, the bar graphs on the stats is like crack, so thank you too! : )_

_Oh, I keep wavering and I put it back on T. I really hate that people have to change the status to see it if it is M (which makes me think members only, UGH). I think I manage to keep it T. I may waver again. Silly I know. You may all have to send me a PM and tell me what you think the rating should be. I am usually not indecisive, but on this I am._

_First, an apology to all of you! I lost my way for moment. I stumbled. I didn't give you all the quality of writing that you all deserve and should expect from me. For that I am terribly sorry. Oh, I know we all tend to be our own worst critics, but the chapter needed...more. And please, please, please tell me, when you think it isn't quite the E golden standard. Really, I felt it wasn't, but it really helps to hear it. And that leads me to my thank you to those of you who thought it was good, and funny, despite what I thought. Bless you all. And a really big THANK YOU, goes out to Night Hunter MGS my beta reader and friend. Thank you, my friend, for being the "bad guy" (which you weren't, you were honest as my beta reader). And making me get back on track, for cracking the whip, for giving me the slap in the back of the head, the WTF?. You are a fan, a friend, and a great sounding board. As much as we all, as writers, hate to read anything less than kudos, it really does help sometimes. I appreciate you all so much! So very, very much. I am truly blessed. And I am so lucky. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai sat at the table in the now mostly empty dining hall reading her Scath reports while nibbling some bacon left over from the morning meal. She was busy with quill and parchment compiling notes and making plans and writing instructions which she would report via the procul globe to her Scath across Ferelden. The reports from her Scath in the palace said they were having a harder time gathering intel. Anora was becoming increasingly paranoid, and Kai had to admit it had to do with their work as "The Silver Griffon." It was a double edged sword. They could continue to thwart Anora and her group of sycophantic nobles and their stealing from the people or let the petty bitch make the Fereldans as destitute as Meghren had done when he occupied the country under Orlais. To Kai the choice was easy, even if it made what she was doing in other areas more difficult.

Kai felt it in her bones; Anora was planning something or was already working on something. It was just a matter of scratching out what. She marked down instructions for her Scath to stay cautious, but look for different pathways of information from those who continued to surround Anora and her newest group of toadies. Kai wrote down instructions for them to dig more into Anora's new group of enforcers, her own twisted version of Templars.

Kai was also waiting to hear back from Talan the blacksmith about his son Georig who had been traveling as a merchant and spy for the "Griffon." Georig had been on his way to Orzammar to sell wares and gather intel. Kai wanted to make her offer to Georig on becoming a Scath and getting a vallaslin. If his answer was yes, then she would also give him a procul globe and teach him how to use it.

After putting Bhelen on the throne, reluctantly, Kai had gotten the dwarven army as per the treaty to the Grey. Beside the Deep Roads themselves, dealing with dwarven politics had almost been worse than the Archdemon itself. She had despised every minute and every decision, which seemed to consist of only bad choices or worse choices. In the end she had been obliged to destroy a good, albeit weak, man named Harrowmont to put Bhelen on the throne. Bhelen, a man who had probably committed fratricide though Kai could never prove conclusively that he was guilty, revolted her. It disgusted her that she and her group had essentially become the man's errand boys and girls. But, it had to be done to help end the Blight. Not even running errands for the Crows had made her feel as dirty.

When her party had asked her why she had chosen to help Bhelen against his opponent, who was a deeply honest and admirable man, she had answered "strength and the status quo." It had all come down to strength and status quo. After speaking with various nobles, after visiting Dust Town, after visiting the Shaperate, after learning of dwarven culture, Kai had seen that the dwarves were dying under an avalanche of their own making. A mountain bigger and heavier than the Frostbacks themselves was slowly killing them all. It wasn't just the constant fighting of darkspawn in the Deep Roads. It was their inability to change. Their numbers had dwindled, yet they continued as if their empire was still at its height. They labeled and banished any who dared leave to go to the surface. "Surfacers" were never allowed to return to the Stone if they wished. They treated the so-called "casteless" in a horrific manner. Then, if they weren't losing a good part of their population to their caste system and the darkspawn, they were losing it to fighting in the arena for sport and entertainment. All of these things just made their numbers dwindle more.

Casteless were the lowest of the low. The children of casteless would be labeled as such too, with no chance of ever getting out from under a life of squalor, starvation and desperation. But not all casteless were born such; some were dwarves stripped of their caste for reasons which could vary wildly, depending on the case. The women in Dust Town could only get out from under its grinding poverty if they produced a male child with his father's caste and married out of it, leading to "noble hunting." Or casteless could join The Legion of the Dead fighting the darkspawn until a death in the Deep Roads. Their council had been filled to the brim with the same rich, spoiled elite who made decisions the rest had to live by, yet never had to mix with the unwashed masses in the lower levels of Orzammar if they didn't wish to.

Some might argue that human nobles also made decisions others had to live by, and they would be right to a point. If a petty spoiled tyrant weren't on the throne, the people could rise up and take down the offending bann or arl and replace them. And no matter how much some might wish it otherwise, human nobles had to come into contact with the so-called lower classes. If the people found they could not rise up and be rid of their offending noble on their own, they could seek justice from the crown. Usually.

Much as Kai loathed Bhelen, as slimy as she felt the man was, he was willing to change dwarven culture, to make it grow as it would not do it on its own. Maybe he was doing it only because he wanted to marry a casteless woman. Kai didn't care if that was his only motivation. Her instincts told her that Bhelen had the stones to drag the dwarves, kicking and screaming if needs be, out from under certain extinction as a culture. She didn't know if he felt it too, but Kai had felt the dwarves rotting like cloth left out in the sun too long.

While Kai had admired Harrowmont and even respected him, she knew with those same instincts born of being a noble and raised on politics that Harrowmont was a weak man. She was certain the dwarves would have been torn asunder fighting each other as Harrowmont wouldn't have been able to control the infighting. She had seen it when they had first walked into Orzammar and had witnessed Harrowmont's and Bhelen's groups in a battle. She had seen the hesitation in Harrowmont's eyes, in his posture. That hesitation would have called to the other nobles like blood to sharks or the weakest deer in the herd to wolves. There were dwarven, human and elven wolves and sharks in the world who would always look for weakness, the soft spot, the exposed underbelly.

So when the time had come, she had chosen Bhelen, even if she felt like scrubbing with lye soap afterwards. One of her regrets was that she was unable to save Harrowmont. He may have made a horrible king for the dwarves, but he was a good man. Bhelen had had him executed. Kai could understand it, even if she hated it. If Alistair hadn't sacrificed himself, if she had taken Morrigan up on her offer, Anora would have had to have been summarily dispatched. The games of politics were dirty, nasty and definitely not for the faint of heart. Those games weren't for men like Harrowmont.

Kai snorted to herself. It struck her, the reason she didn't like Bhelen. He was the very personification of herself and every noble in the human government. It was just that Bhelen didn't try and hide behind a mask of false civility or false humility. Kai was once again reminded of that childhood book of the Animals of Thedas. Bhelen reminded her of the Antivan cobra. This snake did not hide and strike as others did. It raised up and flared a hood of brightly colored skin, announcing its presence before it spit poison to blind and sank in fangs to kill. Blunt and to the point, just like Bhelen. It made Kai wonder what kind of animal she was then. She shied away from such uncomfortable musings to get back to the problems at hand.

Kai wasn't sure what kind of welcome she might have from the new dwarven king or if she would be welcome at all. And truth be told, she had no idea what was going on there since she had put him on the throne. She and Bhelen had not parted friends, more like reluctant partners in a political game of "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours." With the final battle, Alistair's death and Anora's assassination attempt, she hadn't really been keeping up with the dwarves. The way things were going, that was going to have to change. Ah, let's add yet another shelled boiled egg to the ones she was already juggling. Maybe it was more akin to juggling an axe, a dagger, a baby and a crystal vase. One misstep and it wouldn't be pretty.

These thoughts had her pinching the bridge of her nose as she felt a slight headache coming on. Argus, who had been sleeping at her feet, started and gave a soft "woof." Kai turned to see Wynne, Fiona, Morrigan and Leliana come in through the doorway making their way to the buffet to put some food on plates and grab the new drink Olwyna had introduced from Antiva called "cafè" made from roasted beans. It was a black and bitter drink that had quite a kick. Some like Jarren and Wynne drank it black. Kai found it needed a lot of milk and honey. Olwyna had caught Kai doctoring hers, slapped her on the back and called her a lightweight. She smiled to herself as the group of chattering females, well more like Leliana was chattering, seated themselves around her.

She was just turning her attention back to the reports to give them a final run through to make sure she hadn't missed anything, when Wynne set a mug of cafè down in front of her complete with milk and she guessed honey. "You looked like you could use it dear." The mage winked at her. Kai smiled back and then caught Morrigan's eye.

"What, do I have a smudge on my nose? Have I a wart? 'Tis not like you to stare sister. Nor is it overly wise to do so, as others have found out." Morrigan raised an eyebrow as she looked back at Kai with her intense golden eyes. Argus gave a woof of agreement.

Kai felt her face flush, and she was about to let it go, but she heard Zev's voice in her head, S_o it would be hard to know when, or if, she has had the pleasure of someone's company. Certainly not during the Blight, so at least a year. Or even at all. _Kai cleared her throat. "Well...um...see...I wanted to ask...and you certainly don't have to answer if you don't want to. It's just that something Zev said got me to thinking, and um..." Kai faltered. "I...well...I mean to say that...I wanted to ask, rather, well..."

"Where last you left your brains? Perhaps the dwarf drank them. 'Twould seem as good an answer as any as to why you are stuttering like a simpleton." Morrigan finished Kai's sentence for her in that mocking sweet voice she liked to use. Kai flushed and would have let it drop then, but the pretty bard piped up.

"Oh for Andraste's sake, Morri! Were you a virgin before you slept with Fergus?" Leliana tilted her head and smiled at the witch. Kai could only gape at the redhead. Wynne and Fiona did simultaneous movements of hands to foreheads. Kai swore she heard one of them mutter something about "beware of redheaded Orlesians bearing lutes." Kai watched as a brilliant pink flush crept up Morrigan's pale and lovely neck and continued until even her scalp seemed to be on fire. Kai's old Nan had used the phrase "hear a pin drop," but she had never experienced such a silence as she did right now.

Wynne seemed to be watching Morrigan's reaction very closely and the flushing which Morrigan had never done before. "Well, I guess that answers that."

Fiona glanced at Wynn before turning a sympathetic gaze on the witch. "I think she might actually be speechless."

"I think all of us are speechless, save Leliana, of course." Kai grimaced at the bard, who only smiled and shrugged. Kai noticed that not only was Morrigan speechless she looked, what? Mortified? Oh my. Kai scooted over on the bench closer to her sister and put her arms around her shoulders. Kai was now the more experienced older sister in this case. "Morrigan, that is nothing to be ashamed of."

Morrigan blushed harder if anything and looked down at her hands. "It was just a bit...I simply..." Morrigan looked up her eyes bright, before she threw her hands up in frustration and huffed out. "'Tis not what I expected!"

Lelianna leaned forward excitedly her eyes wide, looking like nothing more than a child at Winter Solstice about to open a present. "Ooh? How so? Tell all, Morri! Tell all!"

Kai broke in. "No, _NOT_ telling all, still my brother we're talking about here! As little information about this as possible if you please! By Andraste's holy knickers, I thought we covered this already!" Argus gave a woof which sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Kai turned back to her sister, giving Argus a shove with her toe. "Morrigan, sister, I just want to make sure you're handling this well. The first time can be..." Kai felt herself blushing like the witch. "Well, it's something. So tell me, how wasn't it what you expected?"

Morrigan's blush had subsided to two pink spots high on her exquisite cheekbones. "When I went in animal form to the town to watch the people there, I saw how they would fumble and grope around with each other when they thought no one watched them. And with Flemeth, well I...I saw more than I ever wanted of how she would rut with the fools she enchanted. It was either watch or go outside, the hut was small."

Morrigan shifted on her seat, uncomfortable with the memories of Flemeth's sexual conquests. "I expected much the same once I finally let a man use this body. But your fool brother...oh, 'tis such stupid emotional twaddle!" The witch slapped her hands down on the wooden table. "When I am with him, _I _matter." Morrigan looked astounded at the confession which had just issued forth from her own mouth. "Only with you have I felt such a connection, sister. But this..._this _was different, somehow. More, well, more of everything. Deeper and more basic and...and primal. Yet so far above mere mating like animals or the enthralled rutting that Flemeth did. And now, because it is more, 'tis filled with foolish emotion that has left me as scatterbrained as the redheaded Orlesian dimwit!" It was that statement which had Leli giggling.

Wynne walked around from the other side of the table and leaned in to hug the witch, resting her gray head on top of Morrigan's dark one. "Oh child, it's all part of being a woman and being with a man, especially that first time." The mage's face took on a wistful look. "Why after my first, I felt as if I'd never have a clear thought again. And I didn't for a solid week." She grinned at Kai over Morrigan's head. "It's what our men do to us, child, they twist us 'round and leave us dizzy and confused. But you know what you can always take satisfaction in?"

Kai raised an eyebrow. She even had Morrigan and Lelianna's rapt attention now. They all burst out into a simultaneous, "No, what?" causing Leliana, Kai and Fiona to laugh, and Morrigan to give a derisive snort.

Wynne gave them all a sly and impish smile worthy of Zevran. "No matter how much they twist us up, we'll always cause them to writhe around and be twice as befuddled as they leave us."


	76. Chapter 77

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So we are moving into bronto poo territory again. I am glad you all liked the girl talk. Again, praises go to Night Hunter MGS. As foreshadowed we will be getting to Orzammar in the future, along with securing her first dwarven Scath. And Rajed gets to show off. So we are going back to the town near Lake Calenhad. And Kai gets important news in this chapter about people she thought were already safe. Oh and a little Ali lovin' for all you swoopers, and especially you Jeanny! *HUGS* I hope you all continue to enjoy. : )_

_A shout out to Night Hunter MGS, who pointed me to the movie "Ninja Assassins," so I could see an actual weapon like the one for Rajed in action. I did not know such a weapon existed, but I am glad does as it makes what Rajed does more believable. And it helped E write it, so hopefully you can see it too. Thank you, my friend!_

_Author shout out goes to Ladyamesindy for her another of her tales "**Walking Wounded,**" a one shot based on the Cousland being so broken the others had to lead. A shout out to Doxx on FF for the story "**Breathless**" which is an Ali/Zev romance. Doxx has also done a wonderful fan art for my "Drench a Wench" scene with Zev. It is wonderful; if I can figure out how to post it somewhere so you all can see it, I will. Doxx is multi-talented! So thank you Doxx! Shout out to a SPOILER story by ProsePrincess for her first posted story on FF "**Shades of Grey**," which is a great telling of Fem Cousland after losing Ali in the Blight and her going to Amaranthine. It takes place two years after the Blight is over. Cadsuane on FF, LadyDamodred on the forum for "**Broken Road**," a really wonderful telling of the noble origin story with multiple points of view. And a shout out to another of my favorites that I have been following a for quite a while Azzandra's "**The Long Way.**" It is a Sten adventure/romance for all you lovers of the big guy. It is a really well written story which captures Sten's personality so very well._

_And a shout out to Hikari86, and Ataea for putting this story on favs and alert. And to crayonboxromance for putting it on alerts. Thanks so much! : D_

_My signature love and appreciation goes out as always to you all. I couldn't do it without you. Lurkers, reviewers, you make my motor run. I am humbled and in awe that such talent finds my tale telling good as well. That makes what you say to me even more poignant._

_Blessings!_

Putting on Zev's vallaslin had gone well, despite her own nerves. She had not fumbled as she had feared she would. Zevran had laughed at this, asking her how it could have gone any other way after she had spent hours practicing on the slab of pork she had stolen from the larder. When she had wanted to put it off again, he had pointed out that Olwyna would probably put Kai on a spit and roast _her_ if she tried to take another side to practice on. So, now Zev sported his own blue crescents.

Kai had word from one of her Scath whom she had sent back to Lake Calenhad that Georig, Talan's son, was back in the town there. Kai had been packing for a short trip to the lake once again. She wanted to make her offer of joining the Scath to Georig in person. Plus, since she now knew how to do the vallaslin and had committed one to an actual living being's skin, she could give Georig his if he said yes. It was with that in mind that she packed inks and tools as well as clothes and sundries.

It was while she and Zev had been packing their saddlebags that they had word that Rajed was asking to see them in the training area before they left. Kai and Zev made their way down to the open air rotunda. She found her Scath, some of the off duty guards and Gnat all standing along the walls of the atrium. It had been cleared of training dummies and Rajed stood in the middle with a bowl of chalk at his feet. Kai approached the shy young man with a smile. "Scathach, I was hoping to show you what I can do with the weapon you gave me. I am ready now. I had hoped that you and, say, five of the others might spar with me?" He gave her a shy grin.

"Certainly, which one of us would you like to go first?" She gestured to the others standing around waiting.

"No, you misunderstand me, Scathach. I want you all to fight me at the same time." He flushed but his smile did not waver. She could see he was excited and eager. She cocked an eyebrow and grinned back at him nodding. She gestured for Leli with her bow, Zev, Naseel, Zaeed and Oghren to join them. "I am going to put the sheath in chalk, it should mark you like a cut. If you get a mortal wound I ask that you step out as in a real fight. Other wounds that you would be able to fight through, of course you stay. Is that okay?" He looked at all of them. Kai and the rest nodded and started to fan out pulling out their own weapons.

Rajed rubbed the chalk that the warriors used to keep their hands dry in practice all over the leather sheath before winding the thin chain around the stump of his arm and once around his full arm, and spinning the rest over his head in wide arcs. Oghren was the first to move in. With a berserker cry and his axe raised high in two hands, he ran towards Rajed. And then time sped up and it all happened fast. Rajed, without even looking back, slung the blade towards the dwarf while spinning in a side somersault, the chain flying out and wrapping around the handle right below the massive blade. Rajed came up and gave the chain a yank causing the axe blade to bury itself in the dirt. Another yank and he had it spinning out again in an arc that had all but Leli, who was nocking her bow with rubber tipped training arrows, to duck as the blade came whizzing around.

Kai found herself doing a forward leap over the chain which effectively stopped her forward progress to get to Rajed with her blades. She was up and on her feet in a moment only to have to duck again, backwards this time. Leliana had managed to fire off shots, but none even came close to Rajed as they were knocked from the air by the chain or the blade. Rajed was moving so fast that Kai couldn't keep up with his moves. He had apparently taken the ones she gave him, expanded on them and created his own to go with his stump of an arm.

Her inner musings were quickly put aside, as she found herself with various small chalk marks which she hadn't even felt hit. She needed her concentration in full on her Scath. As the "wounds" were not mortal, she continued to try and get to Rajed. Oghren was down for the count, as he had been struck across the back of his neck where his metal armor did not reach while trying to extricate his axe from the dirt, a cut that would have sliced his head off. Leliana too was out, as Rajed had used the sweeping arc to knock her bow from her hands and quickly strike the bard when she went for her blades. He continued to spin and kick and make the blade dance on its chain. Zaeed was out when he got close only to have Rajed wrap the chain around his stump, grab the blade and catch his brother across the throat, while kicking Zev who had been sneaking up and as quickly dispatching Naseel by swinging low and catching her across the abdomen, a move that would have spilled her guts around her feet.

Kai thought she had her moment then, but in a flash the blade had swung out again and Kai had to bend over backwards as it sailed past her nose, barely missing it. She watched as Zev's leg got "severed" and Rajed once again yanked the chain bringing the dagger to his hand only to "plunge" it into Zev's chest, bringing a "Braska!" from Zev's lips. Kai meant to move forward, but Rajed held up a hand and pointed to her chest. It had a long chalk line from her throat to her navel. She hadn't even realized she had been hit. She grinned at him while putting her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. "That was very impressive and most deadly. Bravo, Rajed, bravo!" There was a thunderous applause from all who had been watching. Rajed blushed, his dark skin getting darker, but he grinned from ear to ear.

Kai watched Gnat who was clapping walk up to Rajed and speak quietly to him while gesturing. Kai could tell she was asking him to spar with her alone. She had no idea what Gnat hoped to do since he had just effectively "killed" six foes, but it should be interesting of that she had no doubt. Kai took herself to stand next to Oghren, Zev and Leli along the wall.

Again Rajed doused the blade and its sheath in chalk and stood looping it in long arcs. Gnat faced Rajed without drawing her daggers and stood waiting for him to make the first move. He looped the blade over his head and then in a blink let it fly towards the diminutive elf. Gnat simply watched it arc towards her and then sank into a split her legs stretched out on either side of her body which turned into a roll forward, followed by her raising up on her arms her legs in a split raised in the air as the blade sailed between them. As the blade was pulled back Gnat was on her feet and doing somersaults while rapidly closing the distance to Rajed. As the blade came arcing her way she leapt up and almost walked the chain as the blade went past. Kai watched as Rajed's quick moves were met with the quick agile moves of tumbles, rolls, and jumps. Rajed's blade would land where Gnat had been just a second before only to hit the dirt. It ended when Rajed found himself on the ground with the beautiful elven girl straddling his shoulders and her two drawn blades crossed at his neck. Both were staring at each other. Kai would have sworn they stopped breathing for a moment.

If Kai had thought that Gnat's playing with the chained weapon with the ball and the blades had been an erotic dance, this was more so. "Now I really need to go take a dunk in the lake, Warden." Oghren's gruff voice spoke to from her right.

"Oh my." Was all Leliana could say. Kai looked at the pretty bard who was wearing a flushed, slightly hungry look.

"Indeed, that had all the elements needed to be truly titillating. That little display would compete with some of the most sensual shows in Antiva." Zev grinned at her. "And I think on that note we need to get ourselves to Lake Calenhad, no? We have a dwarf to speak to and an inn room I am now looking forward to using even more than before." He gave Kai a saucy wink and a chuckle as he went to gather their saddlebags. Kai blew air out and followed him.

They traveled to Lake Calenhad. Wynne had insisted on coming this time, so no repeats of needing a mage to fly or run to get to her should healing be needed. Leliana and Jarren came along as well. Kai suspected that Arl Eamon, Teagan and even Naseel herself had insisted that Kai be accompanied and protected as much as possible. The thought made her roll her eyes, but what could she do? They would go whether she wanted them to or no, and on one level she was very grateful. The darkspawn doing what they were doing, which was not what they should be doing, made her appreciate the company. She gave a mental head shake.

They made it to the Spoiled Princess as night was falling. Kai got the Ceffyls tended to and her group all situated into their rooms. She found she was tired and sore and decided she would rather bathe and go to bed than eat. Zev went with the rest to the common room leaving her to soak. Kai felt all the tension leave her muscles and when the water had started to cool got herself into a night shift and crawled between clean cool sheets and duvet. She closed her eyes and found herself in the dream side of the Fade.

_As always she felt him before she saw him. She found herself wrapped in strong arms as she buried her head in his muscular chest. His lips found hers, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her whole being just sighed and stretched like a cat in the sun._

_She felt his lip grinning against hers. "You told Morrigan to talk to your mother! I should be mad at you, you know." His gray eyes looked into her deep blue ones. They sparkled with mirth. "And the witch and her hex has caused me to drop things, break things and trip over my own feet."_

"_You deserved it you know. You shouldn't pester Morrigan. You know she will come to the Fade where you are one day." Kai grinned at him. "And how do you know tripping over your own feet is the dream net's doing?"_

"_Hey-y!" He said in mock hurt. "On the other hand, good point." He smiled his lopsided smile at her, his hand brushing her hair back from her face._

"_Besides, you were spending time with her in the dream Fade when you could have been spending it with me. Shouldn't I be jealous?" She gave him an impish smile and was pleased to see him blush._

"_NO! I just wanted to...you know I don't. I mean Morrigan and I are barely friends, and that was only because of the twins." She laughed and kissed him, rubbing her lips against his. "You just like to do that to watch me blush and squirm don't you?"_

"_And if I told you 'yes?'" She gave him a sly smile._

"_I would say you are a bad person." He grinned at her._

"_Do you hate me?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at him. He leaned in._

"_Very. Let me show you how much." His mouth devoured hers, making the room spin, and her heart filled with joy as it beat faster, so fast she thought it would burst. His hands roamed along her back pulling her into him, molding her body to his. They fit as if two pieces of a puzzle had been snapped together. "Always," echoed in her head. It was Alistair always, nothing else mattered. He was her sanctuary._

_They tumbled backwards onto the bed in the forest clearing, her favorite spot to meet him. She arched under him as his big callused hands rubbed and enticed, setting every nerve alight. His mouth roamed down her neck across her chest and lower, only to return to nibble and bite her lips again. She clawed restlessly at his shoulders running her fingers up his spine causing him to shudder. She felt his breath hitch as she let her own mouth roamed across his broad muscular chest. "Hey, not fair!" He groaned as she laughed and continued._

_In retaliation he let his tongue run along the edge of her ear and scraped teeth on the lobe, an erotic spot that had surprised them both when they discovered it. The world spun faster and faster like the chain in the sparring practice. Mouths feasted, hands tickled and enticed, breathing ended in gasps and moans. She opened for him only to close again surrounding him. She tightened and stretched, arching until she thought she might break. She grasped him tighter to her, breath ending in a cry of triumph as his body had its own spasms, his lips whispering her name in gasps into her hair._

_She loved the heavenly weight of his body on hers. She was in the perfect position to nibble his neck. "My ears are ringing. How do you always do that to me?" His sentence came out in little bursts with his ragged breathing._

"_Talent?" She laughed. Ah, she felt so used. Like a doll made of velvet sprinkled with gold dust. She was boneless. And she always felt such happiness that surely it emanated out of the pores of her skin. He raised up to look her in the face, cupping her cheek while grinning._

"_Talent, yes. And that I am totally, absolutely in love with you might have something to do with it." He kissed the end of her nose before rolling over and tucking her in beside him._

"_Well, I guess I have to admit to being totally in love with you as well. In case you hadn't figured that out by now. Just so you know." She grinned and kissed his chest, ending with a sigh of contentment. She was just dozing off when..._

She was woken up by Zev's gentle hand on her shoulder. "Since you did not eat last night, my dear Kai, I thought you might like to get some breakfast, no?"

She smiled at him and nodded. At least she'd had a good night's sleep for once. She hadn't been sleeping particularly well since Alistair had broken the news about The Architect and Fiona had filled her in on more of the details. Those details had only served to send even more fingers of fear racing down her spine.

She brushed those thoughts aside and focused on getting dressed so she could grab a bite to eat and meet up with Georig. She also had some armor ideas for Rajed's shorter arm that she wanted to run by Hulda, since she had seen him in action now. She had a better idea of how the armor should fit the stump and a modification that might help him control the chain. And she wanted Talan to make backup weapons for both Rajed and Gnat.

Kai and Zev met up with Wynne, Leli and Jarren in the common room. The others were already enjoying some breakfast when they sat down at the table. Kai was surprised to see Felsi serving the morning meal, as she usually worked the evening shift. "Hi, Felsi, sorry I couldn't bring Oghren with me. We are planning on leaving tomorrow morning, so this was a short visit."

The pretty dwarf just frowned and made a scoffing noise. "I have a message for you for that pile of walking nug droppings." She put her hands on ample hips. "You tell that sodding nug humper that he knocked me up!" And with that Felsi turned on her heel and walked back to the kitchens, leaving a stunned group in various positions of getting food to their mouths.

"Well, who is going to tell our drunken friend the good news?" Zev asked with a grin. Zev's question started a whole argument back and forth, ending when Wynne found a deck of cards on a nearby table. Low card would be the one to tell Oghren of his new "daddy" status. Zev got the Jack of Hearts, which made Kai snort at the irony. He only gave her a sly grin and ran his fingers along her thigh under the table. She rolled her eyes at him. Leli drew the Ten of Diamonds. Jarren pulled the Five of Spades and started to sweat across his brow. Kai thought she might have a chance to beat this, when Wynne pulled out the Queen of Clubs. All Kai had to do was beat a five, and she drew the Two of Hearts. With a groan she slapped it on the table.

When Wynne swept up the cards in a fanning motion and shuffled the deck with one hand, Kai knew she had been had by a card shark. She grimaced at Wynne who wrinkled her nose and laughed. "What do you think we do in the Tower on our off time?" Kai rolled her eyes, grinning, and took herself out of the door to follow the path up the hill past the ruins to town.

She was pleased to see the town still bustling with activity. In fact it was almost as if they had just left five minutes ago, rather than weeks. Kai waved to several people as she went past. She did grab one of the townsfolk to inquire where Timothy was. As it turned out, he was visiting with Talan; apparently Nila had sent him to get a pot fixed.

Kai made her way to the blacksmith's shop and found Nila and Drysi sitting outside talking with Talan's wife Eue. Eue held a little baby wrapped in a blanket in her arms while Drysi and Nila drank tea. Nila saw her first and her face split in a huge grin as she heaved herself up; her own belly had gotten slightly larger than the last time Kai had seen her. Nila pulled Kai into a hug. "My Lady! It is so good to see you! You remember Drysi? And Eue you already know." Kai smiled at Drysi, who actually smiled back. Besides the lack of swelling in her belly and face, she looked like a different girl. The girl actually smiled, and it reached her eyes.

"Hello again." Drysi got up and gave Kai a shy hug. "I wanted to thank you, my lady, for what you did."

"I am not the one to thank, Knight Commander Greagoir is. I see you decided to keep the baby." Kai went to Eue and looked down at the sleeping infant.

"I struggled with that, but when I saw my son, I decided he was mine and the Tower couldn't take him. Why should I leave him? So he is mine. I named him Gawyn." Drysi picked up the babe from Eue and hugged him to her, smiling. Kai smiled back

"I am so glad, Drysi. If you need anything or I can do anything for you, don't hesitate to tell Nila or Timothy." Drysi nodded and beamed at her.

"You have done more than I could have hoped for, my lady. Thank you." She smiled and sat back down. Kai couldn't figure what they all thought she had done. As far as she was concerned, she just played messenger.

"Talan, I heard, is busy fixing a pot for you Nila."

"More likely he and Timothy are in there drinking a mug of ale with Georig and Aulber. Hulda too, come to that. She always was one of the boys." Eue nodded her head towards the workshop adjacent to the anvil and bellows. Kai grinned and saluted the women before walking past them to the workshop door.

It was just as Eue had suspected. Timothy's great height towered over the dwarves as he leaned against the wall with a mug in his hand. "Aha, Eue told me about the party you have going on in here." Kai managed to just get that out before she was swept into a bone cracking hug by Timothy and a mug of ale from the keg sitting on the workshop table was pressed into her hand. More mugs were passed out to her group who had all filed in behind her. Wynne drank hers with relish, she enjoyed a good ale. Kai remembered her shock at learning that when Oghren had given Wynne a sample of his homemade brew in the Deep Roads. The mage always seemed to surprise her.

Kai explained to Georig Timothy's suggestion about him joining the Scath. She explained the vallaslin and exactly what it meant to have one, that it could mean death. Georig agreed to join immediately. She was surprised when Talan, Aulber and Hulda all insisted they, too, have the tattoo put on. When she expressed her astonishment, Talan explained that since he and his family all worked as the armor and weapons smiths for the Scath, then they were in a sense already Scath too. And so it was that Kai found herself putting vallaslins on the entire Hennslin clan, Eue included who said she was just as much a part of it all.

Kai showed Georig how to use the procul globe and what taps to use to activate it, along with the short and long hand motions for communicating. She explained that if anyone else used it without the proper code, the globe would be rendered useless. She was about to put the globe back into its velvet sack when it started to glow and fill with iridescence which coalesced into the head of Zaeed. His normally happy go lucky expression was replaced by a stoic one, which only meant bad news. She watched him make the motions over the ball back and forth before nodding and signing off with him.

"What is it, dear lady?" Timothy caught her grim expression.

"I am afraid we have to leave tonight. The less you know, the better. I am sorry about the abrupt departure." Timothy just gave her hand a little shake as he shook his head at her. Kai turned and asked Hulda for the armor for Rajed to be made and gave Talan instructions for making back ups of the weapons he already made. She thanked them, snuck a bag of coins onto the workshop table and bid them farewell. Kai waited until they were all back at The Spoiled Princess and in Kai and Zev's room before she told them what Zaeed had to say.

"It seems that our Scath in the castle at Denerim overheard one of Anora's boot licking nobles bragging about how he had single handedly found some of the soldiers who deserted after the Alienage invasion." Kai clenched her hands into fists as she paced. Her stomach felt as if it had ice in it. "They found the ones relocated to West Hill. Arl Wulff, who has lost so much already, is under suspicion. They have taken West Hill. I understand Arl Wulff is under house arrest. It has been days, the Scath only now heard about it."

"Then we ride for Highever to pick up reinforcements and on to West Hill, no?" Zev reached out and grasped one of her hands.

"And pray to the Maker we aren't too late." Kai nodded grimly.


	77. Chapter 78

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_**WARNING!** The next few chapters are going to deal with some ugly and emotional imagery from violence. I wanted to warn any who may not like to read that sort of thing or those who are younger audiences. Rest assured I will always try and deal with it in a sensitive manner. But I wanted to give you all fair warning, and I did not want to change the rating to M, as it really won't need to be. I am just trying to be considerate and take care of my fans. I care for you all, and so it with that in mind that I am issuing a warning._

_I hope you all liked Rajed's demo with his weapon and his run in with Gnat. I am a terrible tease. And now Kai has to worry about some of the soldiers who were Kylon's men with their families being discovered and taken hostage. Not to mention poor Arl Wulff._

_Shout out to Night Hunter MGS, my beta reader, my friend, and my idea man. For the lemons, for the support, for your brilliance. I thank you! : ) Oh, and an homage to one of my favorite movies "Gladiator," and the Romans. A quick death, a warrior's death, was to put a sword to the back of someone's neck and put it through the vertebrae. It is supposed to be a quicker more painless way to die._

_And Author shout out goes to Lothering Rose here on FF, and odiedragon on the forum for "**Rusted Cage,**" "**Terrible Beauty**," and other fantastic works. Really, an author worth checking out. The Nightwatch for the story "**Halted**," which is a Duncan/Fem Cousland romance. When I first played, I wanted to bed Duncan in the worst way. So, for any of you with a Duncan crush, this one is for you._

_And to our Ladyamesindy for "**Do You Trust Me?**"_

_My thanks to you all of course. My lurkers, my reviewers, my fans. I can't thank you all enough. And thanks to the people who have added this story and me to favs and alerts. My appreciation goes out to The Golden Echo, SlowNomad, Mirima, Kimbo42, Morrigan 21, The Nightwatch, and Ette Meyer. I am constantly amazed that I get emails on a daily basis saying more of you have added it. I am so grateful to have such wonderful fans. As always, keep those ideas coming, whether in reviews or those personal emails. I love to hear from you, and I never know when something you say is going to inspire me. : ) Don't be shy, I don't bite...much. : D_

_Blessings!_

_**NOTE**: I'm very slow in posting new chapters this weekend. I mean even slower than I have been, for which I apologize. I hope you will forgive me. I have company this weekend. Mum and Dad, plus dogs. I have been cleaning, so that is why I have been lax in my usual updates. And they are here now. I am hoping to have this out. But again, mea culpa dear friends. : ( I do beg your indulgence. I am so sorry, and no the story has not died, far from it._

Kai stood in one of the empty, long forgotten corridors of the fortress of West Hill, Arl Wulff's holding. It had once been an important look out for Corsairs, but as the marauding pirates had become less of a threat, West Hill had fallen into disrepair, and its watchtowers abandoned. Now it was most famous as the site of King Maric's defeat at Meghren's hands due to treachery.

The fort itself which could hold thousands now only held a tenth of that. It had become one big storage facility for all intents and purposes. Massive hallways and passages were often dark and abandoned. It was a huge maze, and anyone could become lost and die, never to be seen again. Or so Kai had imagined when she was a little girl. The Couslands had visited frequently, since West Hill was a close neighbor to Highever. And while it was true that her father and mother had warned her, very sternly, never to go wandering off in West Hill alone, her Scath whom she had sent to map out the place had not come across any pitiful remains of long lost persons despite her childhood imaginings.

Kai had figured that as it could hold thousands and only held hundreds, that a good number of the soldiers who had turned against Anora, and their families, could safely meld into the general West Hill population and no one would be the wiser. And Anora shouldn't have, been the wiser, that is. How they had been discovered Kai had yet to figure out, but one of Anora's noble toadies had. Useless to figure out how the Mabari got out of the kennel once it was already gone, best to concentrate on getting it back. Or so Nan had drilled into her as a child.

And so it was that Kai and her group had ridden hard to Highever. She had gathered a number of her Scath and her usual crowd. Kai had wanted Fiona to come, the more healers the better, but Fiona had insisted on staying with the twins and Fergus. When Kai had argued that the woman was a powerful mage and not some twinkle fingered babysitter, Fiona had laughed. She pointed out that she had abandoned Alistair, and she was not about to abandon her grandchildren or Fergus. She was going to protect them no matter what might happen. She explained to Kai, with steel in her dark eyes, that she had her family back, and if Arl Wulff and the soldiers had been uncovered, who was to say that Anora might not look at Fergus and Highever, being such close neighbors? Especially with Anora's paranoia growing by leaps and bounds. Fiona had made it clear in no uncertain terms that if _anyone_ even looked at Fergus or Highever, she would blast their very eyes from their heads. It was then that Kai was even more grateful for Fiona, and truth be told, the way Fiona looked, Kai was afraid she would turn that fire on her if she argued. It certainly made her feel slightly better at leaving the twins behind with Fergus.

So it was that she, Zev, Naseel, Zaeed and Gnat stood in the empty hallway waiting for their appointed meeting. They all, being rogues, were able to sneak, a concept that she had to patiently explain to Sten and Shale who had wanted to attend. Their insistence had made her smile.

Kai could see the broken tiles, the dust on the floor and caked into the wrinkles of the cloth covering the low slung piece of furniture on which she leaned. The sheet, which she supposed had been white at some point, was now a dull grayish brown. Occasionally breezes would blow down the corridor from elsewhere in the castle carrying with it murmurs and sighs. It would lift the cobwebs gracing the paintings now obscured by the varnish turning black. The portraits and landscapes all looked as if they were being viewed through a window upon which someone had thrown watery mud. The effect was to have only parts of the paintings visible. An eye here, a tree or maybe it was a rider on a horse, there. It was easy to see why the place had the reputation of being haunted.

"Scathach?" Kai and the others turned to face one of her Ferelden Scath, Cass. Cass had been assigned to go with the soldiers dispersed to West Hill. Cass told them how Anora's men had shown up at West Hill in the middle of the night. They had gained entrance by saying they were on their way to Redcliffe and needed a place to stay. Before the Arl could be called as host, they had attacked, rounding up everyone to the last child. If the searchers found any hidden armor which indicated the owners were not one of the West Hill Knights, they were separated along with their families. They had one of the nobles of Denerim called in to point out soldiers he knew. They had packed them all in prison wagons they had hidden down the road until they had everyone. "But that is not the half, Scathach. They arrested the Arl as well and packed him into a wagon!" Cass's face remained neutral, but her eyes showed her dismay.

"Do you know where they were taking them?" Kai clenched her fists. It was very bad news indeed if they had taken Wulff as well.

"I had Trynt follow them, but his orders were only to follow, not to take action. We are only two. I told him that where they went was of the utmost importance for you to know, Scathach." Kai nodded and grasped her arm. "Trynt followed them to one of the old watch towers still standing along the coast. They were taken there." Kai and her party snuck back out of West Hill to meet the others in the forest as they had arranged earlier. She had told them not to set up camp, as she was not sure how long they were going to be at West Hill itself. She hadn't even let them unsaddle the Ceffyls.

It had been afternoon when Kai and the others had gotten to West Hill and met with Cass. By they time they rode up the coast, or in the case of Sten and Shale ran up the coast, dusk was falling into the bowl of night. Kai had all of them fan out and stay low, hiding behind the big boulders that dotted the open space of the point of land where the ruins of the watchtower stood. The crumbling stone structure sat on a slightly jutting point of land between West Hill and Highever. There was one smaller hut made of stone next to the tower visible from their vantage point.

From what Kai could see, there were only a handful of soldiers, and she could see none of the prisoners. She saw the soldiers had piled up what looked like wood and put it to the torch. When the wind shifted and the black smoke drifted over the land instead of out to the Waking Sea, she knew what the bonfire was really made of. The bile crept up her throat. The smell of burning human flesh was unmistakable, even as faint as it was from where they were. Maker, they were too late after all. She felt light headed and had to put her hand out on the boulder to keep herself from falling over. She placed her forehead on the cool stone. Late, too late, always too late. More death, more destruction by her or because of her. Would it never sodding end?

"Kai, Kaidana." It was Zev's voice that broke through her dark thoughts. "That pile cannot be all of them. There may be some still alive. We need to find out." His hand gripped her shoulder. She looked at him, almost through him, but his hand helped ground her. She realized that she and he had not had any sleep for going on two days now. She nodded and took a handful of cold water from her canteen and patted it across her eyes and her cheeks before replacing the veil in the hood of her cloak. With hand signals and via the procul globe, she had her Scath and friends start moving forward now that it had turned dark.

They made their way forward. Anora's men had lit torches and were sitting or standing around the fire drinking, eating and joking as if the fuel for their fire was nothing more the usual firewood. Kai felt her inner abyss trying to snap its leash. She managed to keep it locked down as she crept up on one man who had started to walk away from the others in the dark to take a leak against one of the stones. She put her dagger between his ribs and flicked it, cutting his aorta. His eyes got wide, but he made only a muffled little gasp. She had stepped away before he had even finished falling.

And so it went, they picked off the ones furthest from the fire, one by one. The rest they leapt upon from the shadows and surprised. The men fought back. But half drunk or all drunk and caught unawares, they fell easily. Kai spared one last look at the burning pile, swallowing hard, before turning to go towards the tower. Her forward progress was stopped by the sound of the wooden door to the stone hut next to the tower being thrown open as the drunk and sleep dazed leader appeared in the doorway. "Can't you keep it down you bunch of dung eating sons of wh..." The man's commentary was halted by Sten grabbing the man with one hand and lifting him off his feet and slamming him against the cottage's stone wall. The man's eyes got wide as his face turned purple. "Shall I break his neck, kadan?"

"No, I have questions for him. Just keep him out of the way and out of commission for the moment." Kai turned when she heard as strangled yell. Sten had tossed the man like a rag doll, as if he were playing a game of catch with the stone giant. The man landed against Shale's large stone torso to fall at the golem's feet, where he slumped with blood trickling down his face from a cut in his head.

Shale shrugged at Kai. "Oops." Shale picked him up by the scruff of the neck, giving him a shake. The man moaned. "Not completely broken then."

Kai shook her head and went to the tower and opened the door. The inside was black as the space between the stars. There was a hissing sound, but it was the smell that hit her first, the iron acrid smell of blood and a lot of it. Kai dreaded looking in there with every fiber of her being, though she knew she had to. She turned and grabbed a torch from near the fire. She walked back to the doorway and paused a moment before she walked through the door, the torch held high. At first she couldn't take it all in. Her mind just couldn't process fast enough. Her heart beat so fast and her stomach wanted to crawl up her throat. Impressions of blood pooled everywhere. Dead eyes stared at her. The hissing had been rats, crawling over the bodies. The rodents squeaked and scampered from the light of the torch. She had to close her eyes and try to breathe. Her foot slipping in the blood brought her back; she hadn't even realized she had been moving forward.

"Warden, you need to see this." _No, I don't. I really, really don't_. A part of her wanted to giggle, the part that was slowly creeping up on hysteria. She was afraid if she started giggling she would start screaming and throw herself off the cliff. She buckled it down and walked over to Oghren who was pointing at one of the bodies while holding his own torch. It was Arl Wulff and next to him lay Gwydion, the knight whose sister had been raped. Arl Wulff had adopted the young soldier and his sister according to her Scath. Wulff had lost his two sons to darkspawn while Loghain had tried to pretend there wasn't a true Blight. She stood looking down at both of them for a moment. From the positions of the bodies, it was obvious that Gwydion had tried to protect the old Arl.

_I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry_ kept echoing in Kai's head. She was too late yet again. Damn the Maker and his Bride, the Black City take them both! And take her with them, come to that. They sent her back for what? Another abject failure on her part? No, no, no, no, NO!

"KAI!" Alistair's voice sounded in her ear. Kai swung a fist out, her knuckles connecting with the stone wall, and hardly felt them crunch with the impact, a guttural yell escaping her lips. Just as quickly, she felt the tingle of healing magic as she turned to see Wynne's hands glowing from the spell she had just cast. Kai stood looking at the mage for a moment, their gazes locked. Then Kai bent down and gently closed the men's eyelids with a shaking finger. The pain, however brief, had snapped her back.

She made herself stand and take a good look around the room. Kai saw something that registered in the back of her mind rather than her conscious front. The front wanted to be unconscious, preferably due to alcohol and a lot of it. But she looked again, forcing that part of herself which was screaming in horror telling her _Run, RUN AWAY NOW_ to shut the sod up. There were bodies everywhere, but it was one in particular that made her take a longer look. Maker, was that a...? The others came in behind her. She walked as carefully as she could; it was like walking on ice, slick. Then it registered, it was the body of a woman. She lay on her side, her arms, even in death, wrapped around her burgeoning belly. A hole made by a sword slit the rounded mound of her stomach. Kai wanted to look away, but couldn't. She had to confirm what she thought she saw. Something small and pale showed.

She felt her head spinning as she knelt, heedless of the blood pooling around her knees. A tiny hand, its five little perfect fingers each tipped with little fingernails rested on the cloth of the skirt. They had stabbed the woman through her abdomen, then slit her throat. Kai felt the world tilt and her vision go black. Then, she vomited. She thought the retching would never stop, bile burned her throat. Tears ran down her cheeks, whether from the effort of her stomach to dislodge itself from her body or because of what she saw, she could not say.

It was the feeling of a hand on her shoulder, two hands, that had her wiping her mouth on her forearm. Naseel and Zevran helped her get back up. She walked back to the door and took one last look back. She looked at Arl Wulff. She looked at Gwydion. She looked once more at the woman. Her abyss snapped its leash. The human part of herself watched as if from a distance. The world tilted back, coming into sharp focus. She saw everything as if her mind were keeping it all, every second, marked. Her vision was as clear as glass. Kai looked at the blood on her hands. She marked how it ringed the nails, sinking into the cuticles and the sticky feeling it made as she clenched and unclenched her fists. Her mind carefully noted the sticky sucking sound her boots made as she walked out of the tower. She strode forward to the man still sitting at the feet of golem. He was awake now. He sat rubbing his head, looked up and saw Kai coming for him. His eyes got wide, his face pale, as if he were looking at darkspawn broodmother. He tried to crawl backwards away from her. He couldn't go through the golem, who merely picked him up and set him on his feet.

Kai had her daggers drawn and was going for the man's belly, her only thought to slit him open, spill his guts and make him watch as she pulled them out slowly, in inches. "Kai, Kai, KAIDANA!" It was Zev's voice and his desperate grab for her that spun her around. She growled and raised her daggers.

"Stay out of my way, Zevran! I am going to make him scream so loud it will be heard all over Thedas and right to the nug humping Maker himself. I am going to make him wish he had never been born. So if any of you are squeamish," Kai looked at Wynne, "then you had better stick your fingers in your ears and look away. The bastard is mine, and we are going to dance." Kai flipped her daggers in her fingers and started forward again. She barely noticed the man was already blubbering and that even the golem was having trouble holding him in place. Zevran grabbed her again. She snarled, and it took everything not to let her abyss turn on him.

The detached part of her brain noted that her abyss hadn't quite snapped the leash after all. She had unmuzzled it and given it more of the lead to run on, but it wasn't quite free, _yet_. "Kai." Zev grasped her wrist gently. "Kaidana," he used the tone of voice he used for her in private. It was soft and did more to stop the monster in her from running all the way to the end of its tether than his touch. "Think, the bodies in the tower. Did you notice anything odd?"

"What I saw was death, a lot of it. The Arl and Gwydion. Including a pregnant woman and her..." Kai swallowed hard lest she vomit again, "...and her baby. Do you mean there was something more odd than that?" She glared at him.

"The only woman in the room was her, and the rest were all elderly." He looked at her with a pleading look, his hand reached up to stroke her cheek. "There were no children, no young boys, no women of childbearing age. Where are they, Kaidana, if they are not here?" Zev put his hand on her shoulder. "We need to ask him questions. They must still be alive, and we need to know where they are."

Kai nodded. She looked at Shale and nodded again. She walked up to the man and grabbed him by the front of his armor. The golem nodded back and let him go. He started to try and run, Kai thrust her stiff fingers forward in a quick jab to his throat. He stopped trying to get away as he was too busy trying to breathe.

Kai tossed him into the hut. The back room contained a bed, and the larger front room he'd come out of had a small kitchen area. Kai kicked the man, her dwarven steel toed boots catching his ribs in a sickening crunch making him roll further into the room. "Get up." Her voice was cold as Winter. The man lay there panting. "I said get up, you Maker forsaken bastard." She nodded at Sten who had come in, and the giant picked up the man. Kai waved to the kitchen and one of the chairs there. Sten drug the man over and sat him in a chair with no more effort than as if it were a child, not a full grown adult, he held. She took out some leather ties for armor that she always had on her, since she never knew when one might break. She tied the man's hands behind him and his legs to the chair legs.

Zevran had been quietly rummaging around the kitchen area. He held a bowl of lemons and a sack of what looked like salt. Kai cocked an eyebrow at him. Then it occurred to her, they weren't going to polish armor or weapons with the salt and lemons. They could be used to cause pain without real harm. She gave him a grim smile.

Once again, he gently grabbed her arm and pulled her aside. "Kai, perhaps I should do this. I have more experience in these matters, no?"

She grasped his hand. "No, I am not going to let you stain your soul more, and I am not going to let someone else do what I am unwilling to do. I am the leader, this falls to me." She leaned in so the prisoner would not hear. "Thank you, my dear friend."

She let her abyss show in her eyes and turned towards the man in the chair. "I have some questions, and I would like answers." Kai took a lemon and cut it in half with one of her daggers and dipped it in the salt sitting on the table. She walked over, showed the prisoner the lemon half and then she ground it into his head wound, making sure the juice and salt mixed. The man let out a high pitched squeal as he squirmed in his chair. She waited until he stopped screeching before taking the other half of the lemon and squeezing it into his eyes. Again he gave out screams, tears running down his face.

She grabbed his chin forcing him to look at her with streaming eyes. "If you don't answer my questions truthfully. If I even think you are lying in the smallest way, I will cause you such pain. And I will enjoy every minute of every hour of it. And I do mean _hours_." Kai began pacing in front of the man. "The lemons and salt, they are just the warm up. By the end of it, I will cut your manhood off, cauterize the wound and cook it up and make you eat it. That will be for the woman in the tower and her baby. And when you are done feasting on your own cock, I will cut open your belly." Kai walked over and grabbed a broom sitting in the corner of the room. "And I will take out your intestines and I will wrap them around this broom handle. I will wrap a few inches every hour while you watch me do it, and we will see how long you live with your guts hanging out." She gave him a cold smile and shrugged. "I was once told by a soldier who worked for my father that he had seen the Orlesians do it to one of his fellows when they had been captured. The man lived four days. He said the man screamed in agony before he died. Apparently it is a very painful way to linger before you go to the Maker. He said the smell was unspeakable, and the flies and maggots were a sight to be seen." She smiled again. "Would you like to see that sight yourself?" She asked in mock sweetness. The man's red and watering eyes got wide as he shook his head so hard that she thought he would knock the chair over.

"No, puh-please, don't. We were following orders." Kai's hand shot out, and her fist caught him on the jaw knocking the chair over. Sten calmly pulled the man and the chair back upright.

"I don't think that was the right answer, my friend." Zev's smile was cold, and he used his assassin's voice. Kai chuckled low in her throat.

"If you answer my questions truthfully, then I promise you what you don't deserve. A quick and clean death, a warrior's death." Kai snapped her wrist and her dagger went sailing past the man's face, so close it cut his cheek, to land in the wall behind him. She cut another lemon and dipped it in salt. "But know how much I long for you to die _slowly_." She put the lemon and salt on the new cut now dripping blood from his chin.

What had seemed like hours only took minutes. The man confessed that the younger women and the children had been taken to a secret dock in a cove between the river that fed Lake Calenhad and the River Dane. It was a little known area, secluded and protected by the low cliff walls surrounding it leading out to the Waking Sea. The good news was that they were alive. The bad news, they had left two days ago to be taken to the cove to a Tevinter slaver ship that was waiting there. Anora was yet again selling her own people for money. Kai untied the man and shoved him out the door of the hut. She pushed him down in front of the others who were waiting. Kai noticed Wynne looked at the man, and the subtle look of relief that he had not been brutally tortured. She nodded at the mage, who nodded back. Then Kai did as she had promised. She put her dagger to the man's neck. She whispered in his ear, "I don't break my promises. But the Fade for you, it will be a nightmare from which you can never wake. Enjoy eternity." And slipped the blade between the vertebrae severing his spine letting his body fall and twitch on the ground.

She turned and grabbed a barrel of the oil that the soldiers had been using to douse the bodies on the pile. She took out the cork and poured it around the entrance to the tower. Then she uncorked another barrel and threw it in. When the others realized what she was doing, they helped until all the barrels were opened and tossed in. Then she grabbed the cask of whiskey sitting there and stuck her dagger in it making it leak. She walked a line of whiskey to the tower, splashed some inside and put the cask down. She took a lit torch and touched it to the whiskey on the ground, watching the flame dance along the line she had made. When it got to the tower interior, the flames found the cask and the oil. She stood only long enough to make sure the flames took hold, then she gathered them all to ride as hard as they could back the way they had come. She only hoped that this time she would not be too late.


	78. Chapter 79

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So we had some of Kylon's men, Gwydion included, along with Arl Wulff all slain. Now Kai and her gang must try and make it to the Tevinter ship before it sails away. The wagons with the women and children have a three day head start, almost four. Also an old friend comes back in this one. Kai has not slept for two days by this point. And the question is, will they be on time?_

_SPOILER: We get to meet someone from Awakenings. Of course I take some liberties to fit them into my story. And I wanted to leave the chapter on a cliffhanger with meeting this person. I hope it works. Next chapter the ship and then Highever. : D Oh, and what Mhairi says is a take on a quote on regret from Sydney Smith. "Regret for the things we do can be tempered by time; it is regret for what we did not do that is inconsolable."_

_Jeanny, sweet girl, Anora will fall and hard, I promise. But we still have a few more things to do, and you are going to really, really hate her before it is all said and done. At least you will if I do my job as a storyteller right. I hope you don't mind the journey, Anora is going to get hers._

_Shout out goes to Slim Warden on the BioWare forum for his story "**Through Wizened Trees And Battered Road.**" And to Ladyamesindy for "**Name Games**." She is trying to kill me, I swear! Go go gadget creative writing!_

_Shout out to Night Hunter MGS, for ideas for this chapter. Again, my beta reader and friend, your input is so invaluable. I am so fortunate, thank you. And that brings me back to all of you who read and review, my lurkers too. Please feel free to send me ideas, even in a personal email. I can't always promise I will use them, but I never know when something you say will just fit perfectly into a chapter. : )_

_And thanks to GhostHunter73 and Beriathwen for putting this on favorite story. And to Ogressflesh, and Arsinoe de Blassenville, for putting the story on your alerts. : ) Your support is appreciated. And of course, lurkers you know who you are, **hugs**. And my reviewers, THANK YOU! Reviews keep me going, and fuel my fire. I appreciate you all. I am truly blessed. You are all so fantastic. I have the best fans! I don't know how I got so lucky, but I did. And for those of you who still review with school, with busy lives, with nice Spring weather and you could be out doing things in it; a special thanks to you all. : )_

_And I have been drawing pen and ink sketches of Kai, Alistair, and Zev, so far. With a Bic pen no less. I hope to have them on the forum and on deviantart as well. The forum will probably be first. I have to get hubby to hook up the scanner to my computer rather than his to put them on. I do have an account there now. I hope you will tell me what you think of my drawings as well. Hope to do more of my OCs too. So look for Gnat, Naseel, Zaeed, Rajed, et al. Just bought the USB port; hubby will hopefully have it up tomorrow so I can use the scanner and upload. : D_

_Blessings!_

Kai and the rest all raced as fast as they could back down the coast. Shale and Sten had agreed to stay behind with two other Scath and make sure the fire burnt the bodies, cremating them, since they could not run as fast as Ceffyls and time was of the essence. The ships had several days head start on them. Sten and Shale would also gather ashes to give to the families. What was left of their families, provided Kai could get them back.

She pushed those thoughts away and concentrated on staying awake and not falling off Luna. The rocking gallop of the Ceffyl was not helping her keep her eyes open after two days of no sleep, going on three. She knew Luna was smart and could guide herself, but Luna couldn't keep her in the saddle.

They had passed West Hill again going in the opposite direction this time. They headed West away from Highever and West Hill towards the cove between the River Dane and the river that made the tail of Lake Calenhad. At one point there had been a small village called Firth Harbor. The people who had started building a harbor and town there had hoped to use it as a port for ships to come in and drop off supplies to be taken by smaller boats up the river to the lake itself or up the coast to West Hill since it sat on sheer cliffs where no harbor could be built. There was also access to the North Road so goods could be taken to Highever or Amaranthine. Also from the river and to the lake, they could take goods to Redcliffe, or to the Bannorn over land. Goods could go via River Drakon to Lothering, then could be traded on the West Road with the Dalish and taken on to Denerim. The plan was to use the cove and the River Dane as another road. Cailan had even had the cove charted for rocks so safe passage could be made by bigger ships. Kai figured that must be how the Tevinter ship knew how to sail in without becoming shipwrecked on the rocks. Anora must have provided the captain with charts. The town and port had been abandoned during the Blight. It had not been repopulated as far as Kai knew.

The narrow point of the cove where the great waterfall emptied itself into the Waking Sea made it too dangerous for large ships due to the churning waters and narrow rock bottom. The village had been built just before the first fork on the side closer to West Hill. They had built it near the river for fresh water and its access to the waterways of the River Dane. The plan was to have the ships offload their goods at the village, while the village would exchange goods from Ferelden. The goods received would be rowed up the River Dane to Lake Calenhad. Kai figured that the Tevinter ship, if still in the cove, would be just at the area of deep water near the fork of the River Dane where the waters of the cove were quieter and deeper.

Even though they were not close, and a forest and two forks of the River Dane stood between them and the bay, they could hear the sound of the great waterfall from the river of Lake Calenhad as it emptied into the cove. Kai had her group pull up as they got close to the supposedly deserted village. There were no lights showing through the trees. Zaeed and Naseel with a few other Scath had gone to scout out the village ahead. The area around the buildings was heavily forested. The villagers had only cleared what they needed to build the village and the port. With the place deserted and no humans to tend it, Nature had started to take the area back.

The rocky cliffs of the coast's edge provided a wall of seclusion and protection on the east side, and there were three huge rocky islands that made up the walls of the west side of the cove. The islands had slim narrow channels between them where the sea's tides and waves made it dangerous for any boat to try and sail. The islands themselves were nothing more than sheer cliff walls rising to flat surfaces where trees and birds could be seen. Only someone with a wish for death would ever climb those cliffs to get to their tops, provided a boat could stay put long enough down below without being dashed to pieces on the rocks. The area was especially rough if the tide was high or the season of the year was bringing in bad weather. The Waking Sea could be a harsh mistress. Maric been lost when his ship sank trying to cross the Waking Sea to the Free Marches.

Night would soon be turning to day, and she had hoped that if by some miracle the slave ship was still there, they could use the dark to their advantage. That and she hoped that by this time in the night with a few scant hours until daylight, most of the ship's crew would be asleep. After all, they were in a cove, secreted, and they had no real reason to be on alert. _If _the ship hadn't set sail.

Naseel returned and let them know the village was nothing but a ruin and no one was in it, though the Tevinters had used it and left it. Kai's heart started to sink – _had_, the past tense. Naseel must have seen the disappointment in Kai's eyes. She gave Kai's arm a squeeze. "Scathach, the ship, for whatever reason, is still sitting in the cove. It is as if they intended to set sail. They abandoned the few buildings they had been using, leaving detritus and garbage behind. Yet the ship sits in the cove still. And the prisoners are all being held in a repaired warehouse here in the village."

Naseel shrugged. "There is more to this than we could discern, Scathach. We did scout and find boats the Tevinters used to get from the village to the ship and back again. They must have taken some of the prisoners to the ship, but did not finish taking them all." Naseel showed Kai a small rag doll with button eyes. Kai grasped it, rubbing it with her fingers. "We found that in the bottom of one of the boats. We thought that they could carry a good number of us over, leaving some on shore to guard the area, after we rescue the prisoners. Those that stay behind can keep them all safe while we tend to the ship and rescue the rest there." Kai felt dizzy with relief. Maybe all was not lost after all, not a complete failure, just an enormous one. She carefully put the doll into the pouch hanging on her belt.

"Warehouse first, we check on the prisoners, and then we hit the ship. We rescue the rest. Anyone who gets in the way or is unwilling to surrender, kill them. If they surrender, take them prisoner. We will send them back on the dirtiest, nastiest, slowest ship we can find in Denerim." It took everything in her not to call for the slaughter of all of the Tevinter they met, but she had no indication that the Tevinters, slavers though they may be, were in on the slaughter at the tower. Also, she couldn't take the chance that some were doing what they were told and had no choice. Kai was, despite exhaustion and her brush with her own abyss, unwilling to kill innocents. _If_ there were any such creatures aboard the vessel. The situation reminded her of the mage tower. She understood Cullen's behavior a little better now. "We take all supplies and anything of value that might be traded or sold to help these families and the rest of Ferelden. Remember we do the work of 'The Silver Griffon.' Then, we scuttle the ship."

The ride to Firth Harbor had helped her clear her head and rein in her own inner monster. The ride had given her time to take a closer, more detailed look at her own leviathan sitting in the deep, dark, cold ocean of her soul. Having it come so close to turning on Zev had given her pause and more cause to ensure it had its muzzle back on and its tether shortened once again. If she turned on those she loved simply because they got in the way, how was she any better than Vimaro or Concha or those soldiers? As if he were reading her mind, she felt the light stroke of Zev's fingers on her arm. She gave him a small smile. She motioned with her hands, and her Scath all vanished into the shadows which were appearing as the world become slightly lighter. They needed to work faster. The sun would be rising in less than a couple of hours.

The attack on the warehouse was anti-climactic, to say the least. Kai had been spoiling for a fight, despite reining in her abyss, if only to get the adrenaline pumping and keep her from falling asleep on her feet. But, there were only four guards, and none had been a mage. Leliana's arrows had taken out two, one of the others had been dispatched by Zaeed when he slit the man's throat. The fourth had been inside. When they had broken through the doorway, a young brunette woman with pale eyes had grabbed the man when he was looking at the door and had broken his neck with a twist and a sickening crunching noise.

Kai had Wynne, Morrigan and those of her Scath who had brought first aid supplies to circulate amongst the prisoners and assess their injuries. Kai was about to turn and leave the warehouse when the young woman who had dispatched the guard, grasped her arm. "My lady, wait. Give me a sword, and I will fight with you!"

Kai looked at the young woman's bruised yet defiant face. "How bad are your injuries?"

"Superficial, my lady. I am fit to fight, and I know where they are on the ship." Kai looked at her and nodded. She went to one of the Tevinter soldiers and took the sword off the body.

"Do you use a shield?" Kai glanced up at her. The girl nodded. Kai grabbed the shield as well and handed both to her. "Kai." She grinned at the young woman. "You may come to regret it."

"Mhairi, my lady. And I know who you are. I heard about you, and I dreamed of being a Grey Warden until you were 'killed.' And imagine my surprise when you showed up at the Alienage. I have been hoping to serve as more than just a guard at West Hill. My da' used to say that regret for the things you do get worn down by time like rock by the restless sea. But it is the regret for the things you didn't that defy time and stand eternal, mocking us. I for one, my lady, do not want to regret not trying to stop Anora when I could."

Kai stuck out her hand. "Well then, welcome to the fight Mhairi. Though you should always be careful what you wish for, no? That is what my father always said." Mhairi looked a Kai, nodded and chuckled as Kai led the way out of the door.


	79. Chapter 80

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, we meet Mhairi, and from the reviews, that makes you all very happy. Me too, I was not so thrilled to have a female warrior bite it at the beginning. She was strong, she was eager, and wanted to be a Grey Warden. She was the awesome sauce, and then **bing **sorry no playing with her now. I promise she gets to do more now. : ) And the idea for Mhairi is Night Hunter MGS, who suggested a way to bring her into "Soulmates." Thanks once again my friend. And Kai gets to storm another ship. Lets hope she doesn't wind up wounded like her last nautical experience. And at least she can be assured that she is in time to save the rest. WARNING: There will be implied rape, again, nothing I will be describing or giving details on. But you know me, I like to warn you ahead of time._

_Author shout outs go to kiwibliss for her ME2 Thane sexy, sexy, stories. "**Sliding Doors,**" think of the song "Love In An Elevator" by AeroSmith. And a lovely bathtub one shot with the delectable green guy "**Loofahs are Love**." For those of you who, like me, just wanted to sexy that scaled fellow in ME2 and didn't get enough from their love scene, these stories are for you! Also for her story "**How Fornax Changed My Life**," her epic, like this story is for me. Please give it a read if you are ME2 fans. She is an author well worth reading! And a shout out to SCJen on the FF and Shadow Cat Jen on the forum for her story "**Migration.**" A wonderful story with a twist, with the City Elf and the Noble origin wardens surviving and working together._

_And shout outs to maggieannb and Dark Lys for putting this story on favs. And to kiwibliss, who writes the sexy Thane stories, for sending me the nicest email about "Soulmates," and for putting me on fav author and the story on alerts. And that leads to a shout out to Tanith Aeyrs who is such a doll, she had is the one who pointed kiwibliss in my direction. So thank you so much sweetie. I am truly honored you think so highly of my story. And since she does and I feel the same for hers, please read and review our lovely Tanith's story "**A Grey Wardens Honor**." It is full of Zevran angsty goodness._

_And a shout out to my beta reader, my friend, who kicks my ass when I need it, Night Hunter MGS. His ideas helped me keep my story arc tight, and far more entertaining because of his suggestions._

_And of course I can not go one chapter without my signature love and thanks to you all. To my lurkers, big virtual hugs. To my reviewers, big virtual hugs and kisses. And my gratitude. Reviews help me write the story, help fuel my addiction, and keep me writing. I couldn't do it without you. I count myself blessed. : )_

_Blessings!_

_SORRY I didn't this out last night. I was trying to, but failed at the attempt. I even had the day off, for a long weekend, today to, just to write. Did Real Life let me, oh heck no. I hope to give you all a two for one though, along with more fan art. You can find it on the forum or on under Erynnar._

Kai had begun to worry that the sun would be rising soon and they might lose their element of surprise. One could hardly sneak up on a ship wearing all black in the light of day. It sort of ruined the stealth of it all. But a fog had started to roll in as the sun started to warm the surface of the water. It was so thick she worried that they would miss the ship entirely. The fog blurred everyone and curled and moved like a thing alive. Kai felt herself getting into that exhausted state where her thought turned strangely and she had a tendency to find everything funny. The boat beneath her was rocking gently as they rowed out to the ship sitting placidly in the water.

It was the slight bump of the boat hitting the side of the ship that caused her head to snap up, and Zev lightly grasped her arm. She had fallen asleep, and she mentally chastised herself for doing so in front of the others. A fine leader she was if she couldn't stay alert. Luckily she had her hood up and her veil across her nose and mouth making it hard to see her face.

Zaeed used a small crossbow to shoot with one of their Scath hooks attached to rope up the side of the ship. Zaeed scarmbled up the rope nimble as an Antivan monkey. It reminded her of their attack on the mercenary ship, and watching Erys climb on board. Thinking of Erys lead her to the death of Lelyth and that lead her to thinking on the dead at the watchtower. Kai gave herself a mental head slap for going there. Maker's breath, she hoped to sleep for a week at least when this was over.

Kai pulled out the Procule globe, and Naseel with the boats on the other side of the ship informed her that they were all in position and ready to go on her signal. Kai looked up to see Zaeed motion that they could now board. Kai motioned on the globe and then gave the signal to which quickly passed from one boat to the next. The air was briefly filled with flying ropes and hooks while Kai climbed up the rope the way Zaeed had gone. She flipped herself over the edge of the wooden railing to see Zaeed standing keeping watch. Naseel, and Jarren had climbed up when he had. Kai saw in the fog the lumps of bodies from those that had been keeping guard on deck. Kai felt the pang of regret and the urge to get sick all over again. She never thought she would be grateful for that response, but having her brush with her own abyss's allure, she knew it was firmly back behind her humanity again, even as tired as she was.

She motioned Mhairi over. "You said you know where they are holding the others?"

"Yes lady, they spoke of it when they were putting the first group into the boats to get to the ship. There is a large hold at the bottom. They were putting them there." Mhairi motioned with her hands towards the dark doorway leading down into the bowels of the of the vessel.

Kai nodded. "Did you happen to hear why they hadn't loaded the rest of you up and set sail? I am hoping to avoid any nasty surprises."

"Something to do with the rudder mechanism. Someone sabotaged it. Apparently the ship would just travel in circles if they tried to set sail. If their cussing in Tevinter was anything to go by my lady, it is damned hard to repair." Mhairi gave her a grin. "They were fit to be tied."

"Then it had to be one of their own then? None of you could have done it, you have all been locked away." From the expression on Mhairi's face, she had come to the same conclusion.

"I would not want to be the saboteur, for surely they too had the same insight, no?" Zevran's Antivan accent curled out in low tones, from the fog. Kai glanced at him and grimaced.

"That is my fear too. Hopefully they have been too busy worrying about repairing the rudder and not finding their enemy and our unexpected ally." Kai turned to Mhairi. Do you have any idea whom it may be?"

Mhairi shook her head. "No my lady. I thought we were truly going to become slaves in Tevinter." Mhairi's head dropped as her voice shook. "I thought we would never see Ferelden again." Kai reach out and grasped her arm gently. Mhairi looked up and smiled, nodding.

Kai had four Scaths scout ahead. She wanted to take as many on the ship by surprise if possible. Giving them a chance to surrender if they would. The plan seemed a workable one, as they made their way down. The bunks of the soliders of the ships were almost opulent by Ferelden standards, walled in warm wood panels, rugs on the floors. The soldiers who were found sleeping, were easily taken by surprise, unarmed and unarmored as they were. Kai had them all taken in their various states of undress up to the deck of the ship to wait. Any mages were to be subdued if possible, killed if needs be.

It was when they broke into the room of the Captain that they hit their first spot of difficulty. Apparently the captain had company. His company being one lovely redhead who was well, taking riding lessons, at least that was the vision Kai had in her head as she blushed. Said companion of the captain had not only firey red hair but was a mage with actual fire balls at her disposal. Kai had a second to realize the lady's hands were glowing with flame before she and the rest were forced to duck back out and hide around the doorway. "MAGE!"

The fire hit the wooden wall in front of them flaring before leaving a spot of charred wall and the smell of burnt wood. A second followed that one, sparks of flame and bits of red hot wood flying out in all directions, hitting them. The woman's voice was a high pitched squall of a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Kai's Tevinter, which was even poorer than her Antivan or Orlesian, caught only the barest fragments. Zaeed, Mhairi, and Zeran however, seemed to understand every word. And despite the flaming bits of wall raining down on all of them, were grinning wide grins. "It seems the lady in questions resents our intrusion, no?" Zaeed grinned at Zevran who laughed.. Kai snorted, Antivans, they would find humor if the were stuck in a burning house. Or a burning ship in this case. And it would burn down around them if they didn't stop little Miss Flame Fingers soon.

The wall in front of them now had small flames running up the wall. Kai had a moment to wonder if she shouldn't bat the flames out before another fireball hit the side of the doorway near where she was. She could feel the heat through to her side of the wall. She saw another hit the other side of the door. The mage must have figured to get to start aiming for their hiding places now that her initial anger was over. Kai took a quick peek around the door frame and had a second to catch one naked red head and the naked backside of the Captain as he rummaged in a chest for weapons or clothes, she assumed. Maker, please let it be clothes. Her view was obscured quickly by another flaming ball whose heat seared her skin as it went by. Kai was left to wonder if she had any eyebrows left.

This was getting dangerous for all of them, the mage and the captain as well. If the she kept throwing flames at them, the whole ship would be reduced to ash, and all of them with it. Kai motioned for some of her Scaths to go down to the hold, rescue the prisoners get them off the ship. At least they would be safe.

Another fireball explodes on the door frame and Kai felt the heat at her back increase. She was just about to charge when Rajed stepped out into the doorway with Gnat standing at his side. Before she could tell them to get back before they became cooked nugs, Kai watched the chains sail past her line of vision through the doorway. A wet gurgled mewl followed by a thump and the a larger thud came from the room. Gnat and Rajed exchanged grins. Gnat turned and winked at Kai and with a salute yanked her balled weapon back. Kai looked around the door to find the mage's body and head had parted company. The captain, still naked unfortunately, was laying on the floor in a crumpled heap. Kai found a silken robe on the bed, it was obviously the dead mages as it had flowers embroidered on it, and it was a soft pink. Kai threw it at Zaeed and waved her hand at the Captain. He grinned and nodded.

Kai continued on through the ship. Her Scaths had done a thorough job as always. Kai saw very few dead bodies in the rooms as she made her own inspection. It was Naseel who pulled her to the side and motioned for Wynne. "What is it? The prisoners?" Please Maker, not one of them.

Naseel shook her head. "No my lady, not one of ours. Well not a Ferelden." Naseel looked at Kai with a strange look on her face.

"Spit it out Naseel, not a Ferelden, but one of ours? I am not in the mood for riddles." Kai grasped the elven woman's arm.

"The Tevinter mage my lady, the one we met in the Brecilian Forest? Verina? She came back. She-" Naseel bowed her head. "I think she is their saboteur. She is in a horrible way my lady. They were, well, they tortured her. And When I found her some men were, well- they are dead now. But she is in need of healing magic."

Kai nodded. "Take us to her Naseel." She followed the elf down a set of steps and into a side corridor and too a room. The room, unlike the rest of the ship was devoid of the little luxuries the Tevinters seemed to find so necessary. In fact, take it off the ship and put it in the old blood mage hideout, now the Scath hideout. And neither Vimaro, nor Concha would have noticed any difference.

There were four dead bodies lying on the floor. One in a half state of undress. Kai felt her heart beating faster as she glanced at the foot on the edge of a wooden table that had shackles. The shackles dangled by their chains now. She steeled herself to look more closely. Naseel had covered the woman with her cloak. Kai could not have recognized Verina by her face. So swollen and bruised, lips bloodied. Wynne was at the woman's side in an instant, gently lifting the cloak. Kai put her hand on Verina's forehead and her eyes opened to slits. They looked confused at first, and then sparked in recognition.

"Lady, I am so glad you made it. The children, the -" This ended in a horrible wet cough. Kai shot a look at Wynne, who grimaced and shook her head. Verina caught the look and gave Wynne a knowing smile. Wynne's hands glowed and Verina's breathing eased and she seemed more comfortable.

"Lady, I am done for. I just want to know if my death was for naught. When I returned home, it was to keep a watch for more of Anora's treachery involving my country. I thought I could do more, if I went home and worked from behind the scenes. I had hoped to contact you once I was back here, and they did not tell me what we were here for, I think they did not trust me completely. And so, I found out too late. I am so sorry, I failed to save the others at the watchtower. I- "Verina's eyes started to glaze and her breath got shallower.

"No, it was not for you to save them. And you did save the rest. We owe you Verina. They owe you their lives, and we all owe you our thanks." Kai felt tears running down her cheeks and heard the slight popping noise they made as they dropped onto the cloak covering the woman's chest.

"What Anora is doing, what my government is doing, it wrong. I want you to know lady, not all of my people are cruel and heartless. Not all of my people agree with what is going on. Some of us are willing to do what it takes to stop it." The woman's voice was becoming a whisper at this point. "Please remember this lady."

"I know that Verina, you are a true hero of your people. And you will not be forgotten.

Verina smiled and her chest rose once to be let out in one final sigh. Kai felt her vision getting grey and she bowed her head resting on the dead mage's chest. Her hands clenched in fists.

One more person as cannon fodder. One more to the tally against her very soul. A poor stranger who had got herself caught up in all of it and all because of some petty spoiled tyrant in a county not her own. It shouldn't have even been Verina's fight. And yet here she was, her corpse cooling on a wooden table in a ship far from her home. Kai realized she had no idea if Verina had a family, or a husband. Anyone who might miss her and wonder what had happened to her. Kai had no idea who to send word to, or ashes too. Kai was going to see the woman had a proper cremation. She would not go down with the ship into the bay. She directed Naseel to get some Scaths to carry the body out and place it on a boat before they scuttled the ship. Naseel nodded.

Kai stroked Verina's forehead one more time, before turning to Wynne and Zev who had come in behind her. "Lets get the hell out of here." And she strode to the door without glancing back.


	80. Chapter 81

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_And so Kai managed to save the women and children of Kylon's soldiers. Verina the Tevinter mage helped once again, at great cost. And now it is a matter of getting everyone back to Highever. We will also have a special Fade visit. In this chapter or the next. After all, Kai has been running on fumes by this point. She hasn't slept for days, nor really eaten (what would Wynne nag her about if she did). Let's just say it isn't comatose like before, but it is probably darn close. I feel for Zev, Wynne, Fergus and the rest who have been through this with her before. But on the upside, I reveal Kai's middle name. Okay, that may be exciting only to me. LOL! ; )_

_And a special shout out goes to **LadyJessmyn**, who had the idea for talking to our mystery guest in the Fade first in her tale "**Shades of Grey**." Please read and review it, is so good. And her idea was so brilliant, and it sparked an idea for my own meet with the person in question, so to her goes my deepest thanks. She gave me permission to build on the concept for my own story. Thank you sweetie. And to **Ladyamesindy** and **Phoenix Fire Lady** who also sparked ideas for this chapter and the meet in the Fade. And thank you Ladyamesindy for letting me bug you! There she is trying to write her own, and I am pestering her like a four year old with what ifs. And to **Night Hunter MGS **who helped me with this story arc, my beta reader, my friend, you rock my socks. *HUGS to you all (and I mean everybody)!_

_And thank you **lillgremlin** for putting this on story alerts, and on favs! And to **Don Macarin **on the BioWare forum who joined the forum just to tell me how much he liked my story. I am constantly amazed by you all. Your loyalty, your reading my story, your love of it. I had now idea when I started this fanfic that I would have such wonderful people reading it. I really figured I might get a few passing mehs. I never expected to find such vibrant, wonderful readers, who actually think I write something worth reading. Bugger me, who knew? : ) So my lurkers, my reviewers, I am so grateful. You are my fuel and my inspiration. : )_

_And if you have never checked them out, I recommend the group E.S. Posthumus and their CD "Unearthed." And you can listen to their newest album on their webisite . And you can buy it there for iTunes or CD Baby. If anyone has watched the TV Show Cold Case and the intro music, that is E.S. Posthumus, the song called "Nara." You can listen to samples of "Unearthed" on Amazon or Youtube. Their newest is just as wonderful, and you can hear it on their website. I have a tendency to listen while writing this story._

_Blessings!_

Her Scaths had loaded up all the families and deposited them on shore. And then returned to take everything valuable off of it. Anything that could fetch some coin was taken. Kai had learned the value of this during the Blight. Now was no different that the Blight was named Anora.

Kai sat on the boat she, Zev, Naseel, and Zaeed had used to get off the ship. She would not allow the boat rowed to land until she saw the boat with her Scaths, who were scuttling the ship and bringing Verina's body, were safely rowing back. And even when their boat had passed hers, she stayed them with a flick of her hand. She wanted to watch it go down. And only when it had sunk listing to the port side, almost tipping over did she let them row back to the shore where the others waited.

Once on land Kai realized they had a problem, one of many problems, _plural._ One or two of the prison wagons the Tevinters had transported the families with would have to be used to transport the Tevinters themselves. That left one wagon and Kai had no desire to ask the already traumatized women and children to ride in a wagon that they were probably going to have nightmares about as is.

So they all found themselves walking along side the wagons pulled by Ceffvals, the Ceffyl Cheval hybrids. Kai, and those that had Ceffyls, took turns letting the children and wounded ride. It took them a day and a half to reach the watchtower to pick up Sten, Shale, and the Scaths that had been left to help tend to the bodies of the dead.

And that led to another crux of a problem. How much did she dare expose them to, since their men, their fathers, had been killed. And some of older women had as well. So someone's mother, someone's grandmother were also a pile of ash. And did the pregnant woman have any older children? If so, then they would have lost a mother, a father, and a baby sibling. Maker, could it get much worse? All of these things kept going around and around in her head. Her body felt exhausted, but her mind seemed to be running and scampering like a rat on a sinking ship. It wouldn't stop.

Luckily for her, the others seemed to be in better shape. They quietly asked after the young pregnant woman in the tower. The woman and her man had no other children, it was to be their first. The women and their children had not seen the others executed. They had all been separated and taken away to the ship. Kai had expected weeping and keening when they were told that all those left behind were dead, but they did not. They had expected the worst. Oh, there were tears when their suspicions were confirmed as realities, but not death wails she had thought. It was almost worse this way, the silent tears. She wanted to scream why shouldn't they? She wouldn't blame them if they did, nor if they took any anger they surely must be feeling on her. But they all seemed to be of the opposite frame of mind. They all wanted to thank her, to giver their gratitude for their rescue to her. She thought she might run mad with it. But Zev's calming presence and even Alistair's kept her from doing it. They didn't speak, she guessed they sensed her need for silence. She could just feel them one physically as his body brushed against hers, his fingers linked with hers, as they walked between their respective Ceffyls. And the other was a soothing caress in her head.

They had walked up the rise to the tower, and before they could see it, they saw the faint black smoke still curling upward into an overcast sky. Sten and the golem Shale sat by a rock facing the tower. Kai could not see her Scaths, but she knew they were there, hiding waiting to see who was approaching. Watching to see if it be friend or foe walking their way. Anyone not aware would have looked only at Sten or Shale and not paid attention to the shadows hiding in the various dark gray boulders worn by wind and time. As they drew nearer her Scaths appeared as if from the very rocks themselves. It caused some of the women and children to jump. But they quickly subsided when they realized they were with Kai.

Jarren grasped her arm in a warriors grip. "It is good to see you Scathach, and to see that you were successful" He nodded towards the group of women and children behind her.

"Jarren, we have Tevinter prisoners in the wagon. We need to get them sent back to Tevinter on the slowest, cheapest boat. On top of one of the wagons you will find anything we could strip from the ship that looked to be of value. It is one of the reasons why it took us longer to get here. That and we had to walk with the children. " Kai motioned with hands to the three little ones sitting on Luna. Jarren nodded. "Also, on top of the other wagon is a body. It is the body of Verina, the Tevinte mage who helped us at Gwaren. It was because of her that we made it in time. She sabotaged the ship. She deserves a proper funeral. Do we still have any oil left to use?"

"I think we do my lady, in the house." Jarren pointed to the cottage next to the still softly smoking ruin of the watchtower.

"What did you do with the bodies of the Captain and his men here?" Jarren motioned her to follow him. She spared one last glance at the cottage, so innocuous looking, just sitting there like something hewn from the rocks of the cliff. Kai had almost forgotten about what had happened here, until looking at the small house had reminded her. And in looking at the house, she was reminded of what she had done there. She felt her cheeks blushing in what, shame? Contrition? She had tortured someone, a personal rule broken. True it had not been what Zevran, nor Vimaro, nor Concha would have labeled as torture. But was by her book. Her father would be appalled.

Maker, at the rate she her regrets and sins were going to weigh her soul down like one of these huge boulders. "Mi' gra, that isn't true. My love, no one faults you for what you have had to do. Not me, not your father, not your mother, not anyone who knows you, or even barely knows you. Your actions my love have only been to do what you have had to do. Beloved, you are the one who judges yourself so harshly. Well, yourself and Anora, but she is a crazy bitch and doesn't count." She felt him pause for a moment. "Well, laugh."

She managed a small mental smile for him and a slight chuckle. "Sorry, I am so tired that I have passed the 'everything, including your jokes, are funny stage.'"

"Ouch." She felt him smile. "Just try to give yourself a little slack my love." Kai gave him a mental snort. "Notice I said _try_." She was interrupted when Jarren had stopped walking and pointed to the bottom of the cliff to the rocks below.

"We threw them over the cliff my lady, we let the sea have them. We did not feel they deserved a proper burial. Besides, we didn't want their ashes mingling with those of their victims. Kai nodded and smiled a half smile at him.

"Then we have just one more body to take care of then. Have the ashes of-" She couldn't even say it. Makerplease, no more situations where the words, victim or victims, had to cross her lips. She stared to sway. Firm, nimble hands caught her from behind, while Jarren reached out and grasper her upper arms. Both keeping her from falling face forward and off the cliff.

"I think my dear Kaidana you need to rest, no?" Kai started to feel a giggle. Maybe she wasn't past the so tired everything was funny stage. Of course it was Zev who had saved her from pitching forward yet again. She wondered if he every got tired of it. He should have left her to go back to Antiva, or anywhere else. He and the rest of them should run as far and as fast as they could, away from her. She wondered if they would go if she ordered them to. And she felt a giggle bubbling up again. She was mildly startled when he grasped her arm and took her away from Jarren and the cliff. "Don't Kai."

"Don't what Zev?" She tried batting her lashes at him. She looked over her shoulder and spoke to Jarren. "Have everyone else start to Highever. Have the Scaths stay off the road but within view of the wagons. I will stay here to tend to Verina's body. Jarren, make sure they get there safe. Tell my brother Fergus I will be there, tomorrow." She saw Jarren nod and he gave a passing glance at Zevran as he went.

"I know that look Kaidana Rhedyn Cousland. I know you are thinking of pushing everyone away to wallow in that pool of persecution you save just for yourself. I for one am not going to let you dip so much as a toe in, if I can help it." He stroked her cheek. "What happened here, happened because of Anora, and because of her men. You have done what you could, what you had to do. No one expects more, except you."

Kai gave him a chuckle, which sounded harsh, even to her ears. "That is just what Alistair said. Not in those same words-" She stopped when Zev's lips were pressed lightly to hers.

"Then perhaps you should listen then?" He grinned at her. "If Alistair and I agree on something, besides how delectable you are my dear Kaidana, then it must be the true. After all, we are right about that, no?"

She rolled her eyes for form, and gave him a smile. It seemed to assuage him. And to distract him from digging and breaking through that mask she was wearing. She changed the subject. "How did you know my middle name?" They started to walk back toward the burnt area outside the tower where her Scaths were laying more wood that the soldiers had apparently bought and brought with them, as no trees were available on this rocky barren point.

"I explored Highever, remember? I found your birth certificate. Yours and Fergus's. Angus? Really? What kind of parent straps their child with Angus, even if it is a middle name." Zev chuckled and gave her a cheeky grin.

"It was the name of a great-uncle of my father's I think." She shook her head at him and rolled her eyes for real this time.

Kai went to help them stack the wood. Zev put a staying hand on her arm, but she shrugged it off. Verina deserved for her to do this. She gave a bitter mental chuckle. It was after all, the very _least _she could do. When it was done, and the wood splashed with oil, she helped put the body on the bier. She kept seeing Verina as she lay dying that wooded n table. The image wouldn't go away, even as they poured oil onto the cloak she was wrapped in. Not after she had said some hollow sounding words, meaningless drivel, about sacrifice and bravery. What words could convey what the woman had done, and what Kai herself had failed to do? Nor would the image leave her as she put the torch to the wood, watching the oil catch. And the image only seemed to dance in every orange flame. It stayed with her when Zev had pulled her down to the blanket he had laid on the ground. It was there while she stumbled getting her mouth to chew and her throat to swallow the food Zev insisted she eat. The image was there as Zev tucked her cloak around them both. It was there as her head rested on his shoulder and it was there as her eyelids drooped in exhausted slumber, the orange flames creating the image on the back of her eyelids. She had a moment to wonder if it would follow her into the very Fade itself before a pool of blackness opened up, and she fell in.


	81. Chapter 82

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So Kai has been so exhausted, and with all the horrors, on a bit of a downward spiral. So we have the Fade, or do we? And a meeting with someone who might just be able to put it in perspective for her. SPOILER ALERT: There will be things discussed from **Mr. Gaider's** wonderful books, especially "**The Stolen Throne**."_

_And a special shout out goes to **LadyJessmyn**, who had the idea for talking to our mystery guest in the Fade first in her tale "**Shades of Grey**." Again, I know I said it last chapter too, but I need to give credit where credit is due. One for **Tanith Ayers** who was my shinning example of how to write angst without being wallowy or drama with a capital D. Thanks sweetie! And I have to say YAY to **Ladyamesindy** & **Night Hunter MGS** who both got my "McGuyver" reference in the name Angus (yes a favorite TV show when I was a kid). And my thanks to Lady for some ideas on how to work this chapter. And YAY to **mnomaha,** who got my "Labryinth" reference. And a shout out to the movie "What Dreams May Come," for ideas I have about the Fade and how it works. And a small shout out to Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland." I will wait and see if you all see it. : )_

_And yeah, as **Night Hunter MGS** said, Kai should just build a Summer home there! I had to use that m friend! LOL! : )_

_Special thank you goes to** Shinningkit, Jannifer**, **Bingham Vance**, and **SCJen** for for putting this story on favs and alert, and me on fav author. I am so flattered. And a very special thank you to all my lurkers, and reviewers. I am so amazed and humbled. Especially with the weather change in the Northern Hemisphere, those who read and review even when you could be doing something else in the nice weather. You all just astound me. And your reviews help keep me going, so thank you for taking the time out of your busy days. I do keep it always in my mind that you have real lives. : )_

_And I type the Fade in italics, I hope it doesn't drive you batty._

_**SPECIAL NOTE**! I wanted to let you all know that I have been searching around for more beta readers. **Night Hunter MGS** is my content beta. You can thank him for keeping E on her A game story wise. The man is a saint, considering he has a busy full life, a wonderful family he likes to hang out with, and that he does not have a working computer. I didn't ask him to check my grammar, my awkward sentences, my weird punctuation habits, nor just plain doofery. All of which can occur often because it's me we're talking about. I didn't want to drive the man insane, I actually like him, and I call him friend._

_Instead, I get to drive two other wonderful people off the cliff and round the bend. **Jannifer** has graciously offered her extensive experience teaching English as a beta. Thank you Jan! And I have asked **Ette Meyer **to be my beta for the tightening of the basics as well. Poor sods. Jan reads but doesn't post her own, so just send out wonderful thoughts for her. But please, to reward Ette, for what is going to be one of the twelve labors of Hercules. Please read and review "**Gift of the Magi**" if you have the chance. Or on the forum under EtteStarz, and there you can see the wonderful illustrations that go with the story. Thank you all! : )_

_Also, let me apologize for all the mistakes I have made in the past. I hope they didn't take away from the story too much, or too often. And that also brings me to, what this means to you all. It means that chapters may be delayed longer than you are used to. I know, I try and get them out quickly and regularly. But, beta's have lives too. However, what it also means, is that E is upping her quality for you all. Because, geeze, I know what my awkward sentences are supposed to mean, what do you mean you don't? LOL! I hope you all won't mind. I hope just the opposite in fact. That you will only enjoy the story that much more. And it took me so long, because, E is a doofus. Yes, I know you all know this by now, but I had a damnation of a time figuring out the search doohickey for betas. I know, I know, that is the look my husband gives me all the time. *blush_

_And tonights music suggestion is "Penelope's Song" by Loreena McKinnett from her album "Ancient Muse." I think of it as Ali and Kai's song. And a good one to listen to when they are reunited in this chapter._

_**Blessings**!_

_Kai found herself standing in a place like nothing she had ever seen before. It was monochromatic; everything was of a dark, dull, blue-gray color. It reminded Kai of the water left over from rinsing watercolor brushes- the water running blue and black. The air had a dank quality, like an old cellar, and it smelled like one. The moisture crawled along her skin and there was a low fog that clung to the ground, making it impossible to see what lay beneath her feet. The murky mist moved when she moved, yet it did not go any higher than her ankles._

_She was standing in ruins that looked like a twisted hybrid of Highever and Ostagar; dreamlike dark blue-gray stones were surrounded by black gnarled trees with branches that seemed to be woven into the low hanging bluish black clouds that spotted the sky like bruises on a corpse. The architecture was slick and twisted. There was something strange about the sky, but she couldn't quite place it. Something other than the disturbing way the clouds were moving and curling in on themselves. Well, that and their sinister color, like bruises on a corpse. She found herself staring at the writhing firmament. And then it hit her. There was no Black City hovering in the sky. Kai found herself spinning in place looking for that which should be there but wasn't. This had to be the Dream side of the Fade, but it had no hulking menace hovering in the stratosphere. Not that the atmosphere was not ominous enough. She felt her pulse quicken, a fluttering of panic. She wasn't dead, nor was she in the Dream side of the Fade. But where was she if not the Fade?_

"_Ali! Alistair! ALI!" She tried calling to him, but her voice just echoed in the soggy air. She heard no returning cry. But something that scared her more: she couldn't feel his connection to her. His presence always there, linked to her like an invisible rope. It wasn't there._

"_Maker!"_

_Kai started running through the ruins which kept changing; sometimes the architecture was more Highever, then Ostagar, and back again. The buildings even changed into dwarven architecture reminiscent of the thaigs in the Deep Roads._

"_ALI!"_

_Again she called for him, her heart beating faster, her breath coming in gasps. And there was only the muffled thick silence that filled in the space with a sense of...nothingness. She felt a gaping hole in herself that had always been filled. The silence and nothingness expanded in her soul- the part of her soul that belonged to him, and was his, it had been his even before she had met him for the first time. He had always been with her. And now that he was not... she wouldn't, couldn't, stand the thought that it might be forever. The anguish of it was worse than when he had died on top of Fort Drakon.; an unbearable ache. The loneliness of it, had her running headlong through what looked like the gate to Ostagar. She had no idea where she was running to, only that she had to find him._

_She was about to run out past the gate when she heard clapping behind her. She turned to see Loghain Mac Tir slowly bringing his hands together, while leaning his shoulder against the frame of the huge door with his ankles crossed. His silver Orlesian Commander's armor shone dimly in the muted light but he looked exactly the same as when they had first met. The same haunted look, the same dark circles under is eyes, the same arrogant scowl._

"_And I thought I was the coward who ran away." Kai watched as he unfolded himself from the frame of the gate and walked back the way she had just come._

_She wondered if Loghain was just another demented vision in this nightmare, but he seemed solid and more real than the landscape or ruins. Quickly she strode to catch up and found him standing on the bridge at Ostagar, or this realm's strange version of it, at least. Though the bridge hadn't been there a moment ago; the ground and the architecture didn't just fluctuate but could metamorphose. If she had that ability, she certainly wouldn't have Loghain here with her. Where ever 'here' was._

_Kai was lost in her musings, she was startled when he gave a low, cynical chuckle. "So you still hate me that much do you Warden? Not nearly as much as I hate myself, of that you can be sure. And no, I am not the ravings of a fevered dream or your imagination, before you ask."_

_It was as if he had read her thoughts._

_He turned to her with that cynical familiar smile and cocked eyebrow he had used at the Landsmeet._

"_What, no recriminations? No pointed fingers? No demands, Warden, that I explain myself? How refreshing, considering what happened when last we met." He turned back, peering over the bridge to look down below._

_Kai forced herself to stop staring at the man and look down to see what he saw. It was the battlefield. Darkspawn and the soldiers were all fighting that fateful battle at Ostagar, the battle that had started it all. It was all in slow motion, as if they were all fighting under water._

"_What is this place?" Kai felt her hands gripping the stone railing of the bridge, its surface smooth and almost slimy, not rough like stone should be. She let go and stepped back from the balustrade_ _._

"_Nowhere," he grinned at her._

"_Ha very ha. You are a right bastard Loghain." Kai grimaced at him._

"_Very well, you might as well call it 'The Land of Regrets.' Or at least that's what I call it. I don't know if the Maker has a name for it. It is in between the Dream Fade, and the Fade of the Dead. It is part of both, and neither."_

_He swept his hand out encompassing the field and the mountains and the forest below them._

"_So how can I be here? And more to the point, how can I be here with you of all people?" Kai asked gazing at his chiseled profile. "If I had my way, you and I would never have spoken again, let alone be stuck together in some sort of..."_

"_Perdition? Purgatory?" He turned his icy blue eyes on her and gave a barking laugh. "Yes, I suppose it would be punishment for you to be stuck with me for eternity wouldn't it? And for your edification, Warden, this isn't Hell. That is the Black City is in its corrupted form. It is a house of nightmares for souls which don't have enough of a conscience to regret the pain and suffering their actions caused. People like Howe get sent there."_

"_Well then why are you standing here, Loghain? Did the Maker miss?" Kai's voice dripped with sarcasm._

"_I said it was for people who had no regrets, Warden." He stepped in, putting his face in hers. "I never claimed not to have done what I did. Nor did I ever deny that my actions had painful consequences. I said I did what was necessary. As I have always done- as I have always had to do."_

_His voice had become tired, almost sad. He stepped back and turned once again to the battlefield below._

"_You are here with me, I suspect, because you and I share the regrets of this place. That is only a guess mind you." Kai noticed that he appeared to crumple within himself._

_Kai crossed her arms and scowled. "It was not I who quit the field leaving his King and best friend's son to die. I didn't quit the field and leave thousands of my own countrymen to be slaughtered by monsters, either. I got the damn tower beacon lit! What regret could I possibly share with you about this place?"_

_He gave another low cynical laugh and spoke to the battlefield rather than her. "Oh, I don't know. That you let your King die? That you let your mentor and your fellow Grey Wardens and thousands of your fellow countrymen get slaughtered by monsters? You may have lit the beacon, Warden, but I suspect you always felt you lit it too late." Loghain did turn to her this time with a smug look on his face._

"_The fact that I lit it late, Loghain," she hissed his name, "might have to do with the shite eating darkspawn that had tunneled up through those lower chambers your men were supposed to have taken care of! It might have been lit late as every floor of the tower had more of the blighters than the last! And it might have had to do with a bloody, nug-humping, ogre at the top with the beacon!" Kai's voice was all but yelling now. "I don't even know how the smelly bastard got up there. What, did they have a sodding potion to make it small enough to fit through the door? A bit of cake with magic? First time I had to fight one of those blasted things, and I almost got my arse handed to me because I was distracted trying to figure how the buggering bastard got through the bloody door!"_

_And then he did something she had not expected. Loghain started to laugh, a real laugh, not the short bark of air from before. And she couldn't help it, she found herself joining in. She wiped her eyes streaming with tears. "Oh Maker, you should have seen all our faces when that beast turned around. And its breath! I thought the poor sod of a mage who had traveled with us would wet himself. I thought I would wet myself come to that." Kai stopped laughing. The poor mage had died on top of that tower when the darkspawn had overrun it. She had thought she, Ali, and Argus were all dead then as well. And they would have been, if not for Morrigan's mother Flemeth._

"_So many dead, a trail of bodies that lies behind us both. I was born into a Ferelden occupied by the Orlesians, you know. I watched it eat away at the country, at my father. The taxes that kept getting higher and higher every year until the year my father finally couldn't pay." Loghain's face had become haunted once again. "As punishment, they held my mother down and raped her. They made us watch. When my father tried to fight, to stop them, they hit him in the head and knocked him out. But I watched. I watched every second of every minute of it. Have you ever had a moment in your life, Warden, that seems to take hours? Days? Weeks? Years?" He looked back to the battlefield. "They slit her throat when they were done. They told us that it was in lieu of the taxes we owed. My father went after the men that same night. He slit the Captain's throat. I lost my mother, and my home in the blink of the Maker's eye. We became outlaws, as you are now, Warden. Ironic isn't it?"_

_He smirked and looked once again to the distant battle. "I met Maric a year or two after that. A gangly, naïve idiot. Then, my father died so Maric could get away. I hated Maric for that. The last of what I had, the last connection to who I was was, taken away from me. But my father made me swear to save him, that stripling of a boy who didn't even want to be king." Loghain looked at her and laughed. "You know it just occurred to me, Warden, that his bastard-" Kai made a low sound in her throat as her fists clenched and her eyes narrowed. "I beg your pardon, Warden, his **son** Alistair is more like Maric than Calian was, and not just in his ability to fight."_

"_If you hated Maric so much, how did you ever become so close?" Kai found herself fascinated despite herself._

"_Maric was not the greatest leader, but he had one thing that few do. He had the ability to make people love him. And it wasn't just that he was the son of the Rebel Queen. I abhorred him, and yet I too came to love him as much as I had once despised him. You remind me of him you know." He quirked an eyebrow at her._

"_I remind you of Maric?" Kai snorted. "I met him once, outside of the Fade. He seemed so sad, even when he smiled and made jokes. It was there, behind his eyes. It was still there when I met him again after we ended the Blight, and I was in the Fade." Loghain cocked an eyebrow at this. "I was dead, well mostly dead. It's a long story, involving your daughter and a hired assassin."_

_Loghain looked at her steadily, "Yes, I know about Anora. Her actions are some of the regrets that get played before me here." Kai would have asked him to elaborate, but he did not pursue it further. Instead, he continued on as he looked back out to the small figures below them. "And you, Warden, will wind up the same kind of tortured individual as Maric, if you keep insisting on taking the responsibility for the consequences of the actions of others on yourself. That is the other trait that you and Maric share." He turned his intense gaze on her once again, and Kai felt herself flushing. "He blamed himself for the deaths of all those at West Hill. He blamed himself even as he ran a sword through his beloved, the traitor who really made it happen. He didn't blame Meghren, or Orlais for their deaths either. Himself, it was always himself that he blamed. He said the men died because of him."_

"_While you always blamed Orlais? Or blamed Cailan for being a fool? Or the Grey Wardens? I am not you Loghain."_

"_And for that you should be bloody grateful, Warden." He growled at her putting his face in hers once again. "My hatred of everything Orlais stemmed partly from their actions but also from my own guilt. I know that now." He turned to the battlefield yet again._

"_Oh, so many things that I have done and not done, Warden. Shall I give you a list? Some of them you know of course, you were present for them. Shall I tally the ones you weren't aware of?" Again he flashed her a smile that looked pained._

_He ticked off on his fingers. "I couldn't stop them hurting or killing my mother. That was the start of it all." He gave a sad chuckle. "And after that it seemed to just pile one on the other. I was the one who found Maric while I was poaching. It was because I brought him to our camp that my father died when the supporters of Meghren came looking to kill the would-be king. I fell in love with Rowan, who was betrothed to my then best friend. She was the only woman I ever loved. I convinced myself that it was okay to do so as Maric loved another and Rowan loved me. But I am the one who told Maric about his beloved...about Katriel's, betrayal. He killed his love because of me, and it broke him. And then I shoved Rowan back at him to fix him and save Ferelden. I married a woman I did not love and who deserved better. And I had a daughter I did not spend time with because she was not Rowan's. A daughter who, despite my absence is more like her father than I would have thought possible, if her actions at the Landsmeet were any indication. Doing whatever it takes. That is my Anora." He grimaced painfully._

"_All of my guilt and anger with myself, which I could not bear, I then put on Orlais and Cailan and the Grey Wardens. On you too. It colored everything I did and became a trap from which I could not escape. So, I spend my eternity in this farce of the battle of Ostagar wondering if a part of me let Cailan die because he should have been mine and he wasn't. And wondering if I didn't spend time with my daughter because she was another woman's, and not Rowan's. Was it all because a part of me hated Maric for being with Rowan, even when it was I that made her go to him?" He gave her a smile that was a mix of bitterness, and sorrow. "You see perhaps, why I am here, Warden, in this nowhere place? It is a fitting, is it not? A nowhere place for a hollow man." Kai was interrupted from any response she would have made by a lyrical voice behind her._

"_The question for you, Kaidana Cousland, is will you be able to keep yourself from this same trap, made of your regrets and guilt, that you are surely building for yourself? Or will you end up here, as Loghain?" Kai turned to see a familiar hooded female figure. And in less time than it would take for Kai to snap her fingers together, she felt the missing piece of her soul return. The feeling of __**him**__ trembled into that void within her before she even saw his beloved face as he walked out from behind Andraste. It almost caused her to fall to her knees weeping with relief._

_Instead Kai propelled herself forward and leapt into his arms which, had opened for her, their lips meeting. His hands fisted in her hair, as hers gripped his shoulders. She tasted salt tears. So, she was weeping after all. It was when she or he had pulled back so they could look at one another, that she realized his own tears were making tracks down his cheeks. One of his hands brushed the hair back from her face, while the other cupped her upper back. Hers were fused to his waist. Her blue eyes met his gray ones, and she felt a foolish grin on her face that mirrored his own._

"_I would suggest you two get a room, but the accommodations here leave a bit to be desired." Loghain waved his hand at the landscape, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. Alistair looked over Kai's head at Loghain, wrinkling his nose slightly while grinning._

"_Ah, one of my favorite people in all the world, living or dead. You look different, taller. Oh, you have your head back." Alistair's voice held genuine amusement, and his statement received a deep chuckle in response._

"_I am so pleased to see you as well, Alistair Theirin." Loghain grinned and gave him a slight bow. "And I don't think I have had the pleasure of meeting our other visitor." Loghain had turned to Andraste who threw back her hood and, with a smile, shook out her honey colored hair._

"_Loghain, meet Andraste, or as Alistair and I like to call her, boogity boo lady." Kai turned toward Andraste. "How did I end up here if I wasn't dead?"_

"_Just dead tired?" Alistair quipped, and Kai frowned at him. He held up his hands. "Sorry, beloved. You know I get this way when I'm under stress."_

"_Or when you are hungry, or when you are-" He put a finger to her lips stopping her._

"_Point taken." She grinned at him._

_Kai turned back to the figure. "Well?"_

_Andraste grinned at her. "You, Kaidana Cousland, and you, Loghain McTir, had unfinished business. I felt it was time you met again, so I brought you here." Kai flashed a look at Loghain. "You both have more in common than you both thought, no? And I thought perhaps you both could learn from one another."_

"_She's right." Kai turned to look at Loghain. "You and I both do what we feel we have to, no matter how unpleasant or what the cost is to ourselves, don't we, Loghain Mac Tir, hero of River Dane?" Kai's lips twisted into a wry smile which Loghain returned_

"_And you are like Maric, don't forget that, Warden. You won't let your guilt turn into a hatred that blinds you to all else as I did.. But see that you don't let your guilt break you down, like it did Maric. And now that your two escorts are here, I suppose it is time for you to go. I will not lie Warden-"_

"_Kai, Loghain, my name is Kai. To my friends."_

"_Are we friends now then?" Loghain's icy blue gaze held what looked like hope? Kai nodded and smiled. "I will not lie then, my lady," he held up a hand when she started to interrupt by repeating her name again, "I have enjoyed your company. You are going to have to kill Anora, you know that, don't you?"_

_Kai swallowed before nodding. "Yes, I know." He nodded at her again._

"_It cannot be helped, remember that. I am her father, and I don't want to think of it. But the responsibility for what she has become lies with me." Loghain gave her that cynical, sad smile again._

"_And with me, I suppose." Kai turned to look at Alistair. "Oh, come on. She might not have gone round the bend if I hadn't chopped his sodding head off in front of her. Probably not the best thing we did, even if he did deserve it. At the time" Alistair directed this last statement directly to Loghain with a cheeky grin._

"_So you have changed your mind about me too, boy? You have forgiven me as well?" Alistair nodded. "Well, isn't this just a day for surprises? If it is day, so hard to tell here." Loghain gave a low laugh. "You are your father's son; I should have seen it sooner. Maric could always forgive others. The only person Maric could never forgive was himself. Forgive yourself young lady; you have many more miles to travel and so much more left to do yet."_

_Kai took one last look around 'The Land of Regrets,' as Loghain had called it. She couldn't leave. Even after all he had done, she understood Loghain now as she had never done when he was alive. And she understood herself better as well. "I won't go. If Loghain stays, I stay."_

_Andraste shook her head. "I am afraid you need to go back. As Loghain said, you have miles to go before your rest."_

"_Ward... Kai, I appreciate this more than I can tell you. But you do not want to stay here, believe me. And Ferelden needs you More now than it did when I was running things during the Blight.." Loghain had moved closer and gently grasped her arm._

"_I am sorry, but it is cruel to leave him here. Look at this place! He did many things, but he doesn't deserve to stay here any longer." Kai turned back to Andraste. "He doesn't deserve this! He stays, I stay. Or did I not speak plainly enough?" Kai's hand sliced the air for emphasis._

"_She stays, I stay as well." Alistair's hands gripped her shoulders still giving his lopsided grin._

"_You are both out of your minds." Loghain addressed Alistair. "If you love her as it appears you do, you will take her out of here and never come back."_

"_Hm, my father said you could be as stubborn as a Ceffyl." Alistair grinned at Loghain. "For the record, so is she." And he jerked his thumb at Kai._

"_I prefer 'implacable'," Kai grinned._

"_Your father... talks about me?" Loghain stared off into the distance looking through the landscape._

"_Uh huh, Cailan, Duncan, and Rowan do too." Alistair reached out and grasped Loghain's shoulder. "Even an elven woman, Katriel?" Alistair chuckled at Loghain's incredulous expression. "They want you to come home."_

"_Why in the world...how...?" Loghain seemed at a loss for words._

_Kai turned to Andraste. "I don't understand, I thought he was here because he was being punished by the Maker."_

"_No my daughter, not by the Maker. He is being punished by himself. The Maker only punishes the worst, and as he told you they go to the corrupted Black City for that. No, people here, they put themselves here. And they hold the key to leave at anytime." Andraste walked up and gently stroked Loghain's cheek. "You have only to release yourself, Loghain Mac Tir." And she gestured behind her where a door had opened in one of the buildings and figures lit from behind by the welcoming light of the Fade could be seen. Kai couldn't see their faces, but they were all gesturing to Loghain._

_Loghain turned to Andraste, and the look on his face made Kai's heart squeeze painfully in her chest. It was a look of longing, sadness, disbelief, and hope. Andraste smiled and nodded holding out a hand to the doorway._

"_Go to them Loghain." Kai reached out to grab his arm, and instead of metal of his armor, she felt rough leather. And the arm was muscled and hard, and she looked at at a boy of eighteen, his face more rounded and less chiseled. The same intense blue eyes looked into hers, but they were not ringed by dark circles. Nor were they hard and and icy. "Go to them." Kai nodded as she felt her throat constrict and tears well in her own eyes. He nodded at her, gave her a cocky grin and grasped her arm in warrior's grasp. He threw a grin at Alistair over her head and loped off in a careless stride only teenaged boys seemed capable of. The figures at the door all gathered around him, and he started to go with them. He turned back at the door, waved once again and then he was gone._

"_And now we need to get you back, my daughter. The others will be worried." Andraste walked towards yet another doorway and Kai found herself following._

"_So, you needed me to do your heavy lifting once again? What am I your go-to-girl for every task no matter how big or small, here and in the Fade?" Kai could hear Alistair stifling a laugh. "Really, I can't keep coming back here, except in dreams. I am going to have to build a Summer home here!" Alstair did laugh this time._

_Andraste stopped at a doorway that was pitch black rather than filled with light. She pointed inside the door. "Remember what you learned here, daughter. It will serve you well in the future. You will need it, I'm afraid." She smiled and kissed Kai on the cheek._

_Kai turned to Ali, she hated this part, leaving him. She put her lips to his and sighed. When they broke apart, he gave his trademark lopsided grin and ran his fingers down the side of her face. "See you in your dreams, mi' gra." She nodded and tried to smile around the lump in her throat as she walked backwards into the darkened doorway._

_She was about to be engulfed in the darkness and a thought struck her. "Hey, what did you mean the others will be worried?" She saw Andraste shake her head and smile while Alistair blushed and looked down. "Sod it! Not again! Aw-"_

"BRASKA!" Kai found herself yelling into a room filled once again with the concerned faces of her friends. She had a moment to register that they were all there. She saw Morrigan's lips in a hard line along with the stoney expression, before she was crushed into Zev's arms this time.


	82. Chapter 83

**BioWare owns all but what I made up! : D**

_So, Kai did another feat of daring do by going comatose. You might guess how thrilled everyone will be. : ) Including our Antivan, who is likely to be a little more put out than in the past? Not that he would let anyone know that, except Kai. And what about Morrigan who has someone else's heart and feelings in her care, not to mention her own feelings towards her sister. Morrigan may be frightened more than the others, after all, Morrigan missed Kai's other little journeys into unconsciousness. And we all know how Morrigan deals with fear, don't we? LOL! Oh, yeah, Kai is in for a treat. And what is a girl to do with the families of the soldiers? And what of the others, Kai may need to figure something out, to keep them from getting found out. Ah the story continues. : D_

_Story shout out goes to our own **Night Hunter MGS**, for his story "**To Be a Mother**." It is his short inspired by Kai and "Soulmates" for Mother's Day. I have to admit, I am smitten with the story because it is inspired by my own. But I also love it because it is well written. Please go read it and review! I am trying to encourage Night Hunter MGS aka Chainsaw, to keep on writing he is so good at it. _

_And a shout out to **kiwibliss**, who inspired me for the bathtub scene, from her own writings for ME2 fanfic's featuring Thane. And to **Ladyamesindy** who inspired me with the gift Zev gives who betas for me too. And she also lets me bug her with ideas in live chat, and... etc. And a shoutout to **Night Hunter MGS** for his inspiration on Wynne's spirit helper from his fantastic short based on Kai. And to **Violet Theirin** who gave me a part of Zev's pledge to Kai. You all rock! : ) I have the best fans ever! Thank you all, so very very much! _

_And Happy Mommy's Day( **late**), because lets face it ladies, we are all mommies in some form or fashion to husbands, boyfriends, fur babies, or human children. So the steamy scene here is my Mother's Day present for all you fantastic females. Yes, Night Hunter give you a sweet present, and I give you the saucy! : )_

_Shout out goes to **Nuit Nuit, RubyPele, Zeeji, Cortie78 **and **Tepoztcecal **for putting my story on favs! and to** Zeeji **for putting me on fav author! I am blushing, thanks!. And a special show of gratitude to **Nuit Nuit**. She has been beta editing my early chapters as she reads and I hope to re post them with fixes. ** Jan** has already fixed Chapter 1 for me, and it is posted with grammar mistakes corrected! Please feel free to re-read. If I had medals I would pin them on you both! _

_Bless all of you, who read, who offer suggestions and advice, ideas and fixes! And to all of you my lurkers, my reviewers, my sainted betas thank you! Really, you make me a better writer, and this story a better story. Thank you all! And I posted the prequel to "Soulmates" on FF and the forum too (it is the noble origin story but from Kai's perspective and with more meat than you get otherwise). Hope to be able to get both written for you all to enjoy. This story comes first. But I am hoping to get both out regularly. Again I appreciate you all so very, very much! : )_

_I apologize that this is rough, I wanted to get it posted due to Night Hunter's story being for Mother's Day, and I wanted to get a shout out for it ASAP. So, I will post the corrected version after my beta's get it to me._

_Blessings!_

Kai could hear the rapid beat of Zevran's heart as he cradled her head to his chest. She felt lips brush her hair before he leaned her forward so Fergus could hold her while he piled pillows behind her. Fergus gave her a bone crushing hug, before holding her by her arms so he could look her in the face again. His expression was one she had seen through out her life as she tagged along behind her big brother and his friends trying to mimic him with her hero worship; fear, love and most of all exasperation. "We wondered, little sister, if we should start taking bets on how long you would be comatose this time."

Kai had a sense of deja vu. "More of a case of been here, done this, my love." Alistair's spoke in her ear his voice tinged with amusement, and relief. "I am just glad I can feel you and talk to you again mi' gra. I was very frightened."

Kai gave him a mental smile, "It scared me too. Lets not do that again."

"Agreed!" She could sense the grin in his voice. "Now _you _just have to appease everyone else. Good luck!"

"Thank you _so_ much." Kai gave him a mental eye roll.

"Please tell me Wynne is not off getting more broth? And do I dare ask how many days on the Chantry calendar I should check off this time?" Kai grinned at him as he let her lean back on the pillows.

"Two days, Warden. And I would have won if they had let me take wagers. I told them there was no way you were going to stay out for long, not if you knew what was good for ya." Oghren started laughing. "Wynne is off with her mage friend, the pointy eared one, got their heads together over some book. She said she figured you had done this before so she wasn't going to sit around here and watch your hair grow." Oghren gave a barking laugh.

"So you think 'tis funny do you, her making us all worry and fret?" Morrigan's face drew into an angry scowl as she turned back to Kai. "Especially your poor brother! He has not been sleeping or eating!"

"Not been sleeping or not been_ "sleeping_," which do you mean?" Kai laughed. "Though only one of those types of 'sleep' would give him those dark circles under his eyes." Kai received a growl as Morrigan's hand raised with blue light dancing in the palm. Kai raised her hands in mock surrender. Fergus made a grab for the witch locking their fingers together while rubbling her arm with his other hand soothingly.

Fergus looked up at Morrigan. "Now love, she didn't do it on purpose." Fergus turned to her with a big grin on his face. "You didn't do it on purpose did you?" And he laughed at her.

Morrigan tsk'd, and let go of Fergus's hand while rolling her eyes. "You are both mad and maddening! ''Tis a wonder I do not turn you both to rabbits and put you both in a stew!" Her golden eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms glaring angrily from Kai to Fergus and back again. Kai couldn't help but grin at the witch, Fergus's face mirrored her own, before Kai turned to Fergus wrinkling her nose at him as she stuck out her tongue.

"And ha, very ha dear brother! No, I didn't do it on purpose!. Believe me, If I had known before I closed my eyes, where I would wind up, had I known with whom I would have been meeting, I would have gladly stayed awake brother dear!"

Kai sobered quickly enough as she went on to explain how she had found herself in the "The Land of Regrets." She told them about losing her connection to Alistair, and her meeting Loghain. She told them of Andraste bringing her and Loghain together. "He was so...sad and broken. He told me what happened to his mother, what the Orlesians had done to her in front of him." Kai felt tear welling up in her eyes, as she repeated the conversation she and Loghain had.

"Hm, that would explain his obsessive hatred of everything Orlesian, and of anyone who even suggested, or had a thought to work with Orlais. Not that the Crows need an explanation as to why they are being hired, but clients like to give one. Arl Howe, the weasel faced man?" Zev looked at Kai who nodded, "Told me that Loghain was hiring us to stop Grey Wardens from working with the Orlesians. Again, the Crows did not care about the reason, the money had been paid. It did seem strange though, as the Orlesians had withdrawn from the borders of Ferelden by then. Looking back, this too makes sense as to why Loghain agreed to let Howe hire The Crows. This Howe creature would have made Antivans blush. He knew what strings to pull on Loghain while gathering money and power for his own ends."

"Fah, you are far more forgiving than I would be sister. Loghain allowed himself to be manipulated like some novice mage by a demon from the Fade. 'Twas his own fault, and his own failings that lead him there. Though it does fit with what Alistair and I were told."

"Hey did witchy-poo call me by my name? Maybe she is warming to me after all!" Alistair's voice quipped in her ear. Kai made mental shushing noises while stifling a laugh.

She cocked an eyebrow at Morrigan who waved her hand dismissively. "'Tis lucky for you that the Chasind Dream Net was not magicked to keep the fool templar out of my dreams for dire emergencies. Together we managed to find, 'boogity boo lady?'" Morrigan's look of confusion, a rare sight, almost made Kai burst into giggles. She had to bite her lip while she nodded. The witche's brows drew together in annoyance, "'Twas most arrogant an answer we received from her. She informed us that you were sent to a place not of either Fade realm to make a decision. Of course that fool Alistair, did not stand for that. Before I could say one word to 'Miss High-and- Mighty,' Alistair had put his face in hers and told the woman off, he threatened to follow her all over the Fade never giving her a moments rest. He informed the chit," Kai really had to stifle a laugh at, Andraste, Maker's bride being called a 'chit.' "She had best take him to you. 'Twas most impressive." Morrigan looked slightly awed. "Twould be best if the buffoon does not know I said that."

"Oh, too late for that witchy-poo! I am so going to bring that up in her dreams!" Alistair sounded like a little boy anticipating teasing a sibling.

"If you want her to stay warmed to you , you may not want to do that." Kai grinned, "And you may not want to if you don't want to find that Chasind Dream Net with more pins in the doll. Or nails, or razors..."

"Point taken my love!" She felt his mental shudder and smirked.

"All right, well a couple of days with no major wounds, time I was up. I have been lazing in bed too long." Kai smiled at Fergus and Zev and held out her hands for them to help her out of bed.

"Are you sure you should little sister?" Fergus took her hand reluctantly.

"Since when has 'should she,' been of concern to your dear sister?" Zevran's voice was smooth, too smooth. And when she looked she saw he had his mask in place. He was smiling but it didn't reach his eyes. Oh my, she could feel a talk coming on. Or she would at least try and get him to talk. He wrapped his hand on hers and between him and Fergus got her up on her feet.

Kai felt as though her legs were made of lead until her body had time to adjust to being upright. Kai wanted, first and foremost, to see the twins. But she needed a bath desperately, if the scent of blood and woodsmoke were any indication. Since Oghren often smelt like a privy and beer on a good day, and both Fergus and Zevran appeared to be unsmudged, the smell must be her. She walked over to the bathtub and turned the faucets to start the hot water flowing into the tub.

"Come on my dwarven friend, time for us to tell the others she is awake." Kai watched Fergus clap Oghren on the back.

"Aw, but the Warden is about to take her clothes off." The dwarf gave a low and mischievous chuckle, "This is gettin' good."

"I thought we might open a keg to celebrate." Fergus grinned at the dwarf.

"Well why didn't you say so? The Warden is good lookin' an all, for a human, but beer well..." Oghren clapped Fergus on the back, "Say no more friend!" And they headed out of the door. She couldnt' help but laugh at them. Kai had expected Morrigan to follow them but she lingered.

"I will go and tell Wynne, Fiona, and the bubble headed bard that you are awake. Sister I..." Kai found herself wrapped tight in Morrigan's arms. The hug lasted all of a few seconds and was so fast Kai barely had time to register that it had happened at all.

"I know, I love you too, sister." Kai stroked the witch's cheek.

"'Twas going to say,_ sister_, if you ever do that again I shall turn you into a frog and dine on your legs." Morrigan's golden eyes were narrowed, but there was an ever so slight quirk at the corner of her lips. And with that she turned and stalked from the room.

"Zev, I..." Kai started, but he just shook his head and put a finger to her lips. He then followed Morrigan. Kai huffed to herself as she poured bath salts into the swirling water. When the smell of rose, lavender, and cloves drifted with the steam , Kai turned off the faucets, undressed and stepped into the bath. She had just settled back and closed her eyes, when she heard the sound of someone stepping into the water.

She cocked one eye open to see Zev joining her. She smiled at him. She pictured a lamppost covered in snow, "I thought you were mad at me." He still did not smile back. Okay... maybe he was planning on drowning her and putting _her _out of _his _misery and a lamppost wouldn't be necessary? He only grunted and reached for the cake of sweet creamy soap, and indicated she should put her back to him. Well, if he was going to drown her, might as well let him and get it over with. She felt his nimble fingers working the soap into her hair. The moist atmosphere was soon filled with the scent of honey, rosemary, apple, and hint of cinnamon. It was her favorite, she had wanted to smell like an apple pie she had told Nan once long ago. Nan had told her that it would be funny for her to smell exactly like a pie, so they had compromised. She and Nan had created the soap on one of those long ago childhood days when Nan was attempting to teach her how to be more 'domestic.' The recipe for the soap had stuck, the Kai being 'domestic,' not so much.

His strong fingers kneaded her scalp leaving pleasant tingling in their wake. When he began to stroked the muscles of her neck and up the back of her head, a groan escaped her lips. The muscles were so tense, and she hadn't realized until Zev's ministrations had caused them to relax. She realized that despite their being lovers, she had never had him give her a massage. Oh, he had offered once, back during the Blight, when she had thought he was only interested in bedding her for fun and maybe to fulfill his contract with the Crows. Add to that she and Alistair were already lovers by then. She had turned him down. Though she had to admit, back then a part of her had wondered if he only talked a good game.

His fingers were trailing along her shoulders, kneading scars of long ago battles, and more recent ones along with the muscles there. His fingers may have been making her shoulders less tense, but he was certainly making her more anxious in other ways.

She found him gently pulling her backwards rinse the soap out of her hair. She closed her eyes as she lay back in the water and let him rub her hair getting the soap and bubbles out of her black curls. She almost felt herself drifting off when she realized that his fingers had stopped moving. She opened her eyes to see his amber ones staring at her. He reached out a finger and traced the skin of her features. "Kaidana, how and when did you get these Dalish vallaslin on your face? I have always meant to ask, but the opportunity never seemed to present itself. But I find myself curious, especially since I have had to stare them for the last two days, as I have for many days before in the past, wondering if you would waken this time." Kai felt guilt stab at her with his remark about her repeat feat of daring do... going comatose, again.

She rose up to face him, water sluicing down her torso from her wet hair. She put a hand to her face, running her fingers along her the tops of her eyebrows, the spot on her forehead, and her chin, as if she might feel the tattoos imprinted on the skin there. "You know, I always forget that they're there. I'm not one for looking at myself constantly in a mirror the way so many noble women seem want to do." She grinned at him but he didn't return it, he just waited.

She plowed on. "And it was because of the nobles that I had it done. I was sixteen, and at some stupid party my parents' had to throw for their simpering and shallow peers. I overheard one of the petulant wives of a Bann talking to my mother about arranging a political marriage for me. The idea of marrying, let alone being touched, by most of their slack jawed-idiot sons had me running right to the Dalish man who lived here in Highever. He had married a city elf from here, you see. He knew how to do vallaslins. I had always wanted one, and had planned to get one, somewhere else on my body. It would have been just to drive my mum around the bend a bit, teenage rebellion of a sort. But putting it on my face went directly to dissuading the noble's brats from developing any interest in me. My mother was less than pleased. And because of that overheard conversation, I trained my rogue skills harder than ever after that. Which probably lead to Duncan's to desire to recruit me." She gave an cynical laugh. "I never realized how much of what I wanted back then, that I actually got. I didn't wind up some bored wife being forced to sit at teas and talk about the latest fashions while my noble husband went off to roger his mistress, or three. I became a Grey Warden, 'Hero of Ferelden,' mother to two beautiful children. I have a group of elite spies, warriors, rogues, and even merchants and armorers. I used to dream of being a hero. If I had known then what I know now..." Kai found herself drifting off in thought.

"And if you had Kaidana?" Zev's face still had its mask on. But he seemed to be waiting for something. For what she was to say next? He seemed to be waiting as if what she was going to say was of great importance. She wondered when this conversation had gotten so serious.

"I would choose to do the same as I did then. To train hard, to be a rogue, to be a Grey Warden. All of the best things, the worst too, but all of the best things have happened in my life because I chose the path I did. They lead me to Duncan, Alistair, Morrigan, Leli, Sten, Oghren, Shale, and Argus. I have my children. I have both old and new friends, and wonderful people that fill my life. And I still have Alistair in a way. And I have you Zevran Arainai. I am one of the most fortunate people in all of Thedas." She moved forward to let her breasts brush his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to put her lips to his.

At first he was unmoving, and just as she was about to withdraw, his arms wrapped around her in tight bands. One hand snaked up her neck, his long fingers tangling in her wet hair. The other hand crushed her torso to his. She clawed his back restlessly a purr vibrating against his lips from her own throat. He nibbled at her mouth, and then his lips left hers. She was about to open her eyes out of curiosity, when she felt his lips brushing her eyelids, one than the other. She gasped surprised by how erotic such a move was. His lips trailed over her face kissing her tattoos, making the skin tingle and other parts of her tingle too. His mouth found hers briefly to break off and trail the vallaslin on her chin, and continue down her throat. He leaned her back as his mouth kept going, his tongue torturing the hard points of one breast than the other. Her breath was coming out in gasps and cries.

Then he lifted her up again his voice was husky, "I think your back needs washing my dear Kai." She had only a moment to be mildly annoyed as he was doing such wonderful things to her front. But the way his fingers raced across her back dragging soap and silken lather on her already sensitive skin, made her grip the edge of the tub arching into hands like a cat. His fingers moved her wet hair, and the soft scrape of teeth on the back of her neck when he entered her had her crying out.

He leaned her back again him his mouth and teeth worrying her neck and shoulder, while soap covered hands played along her front. His fingers skimmed the skin along her sides and across swollen nipples and down below her belly to tease and entice. He sent her flying, and she wrapped an arm around his neck while her body shuddered.

She knew that he had not...well. "Zev," her voice sounded breathy to her own ears.

"Hm?" He lifted her chin with one hand an bit her neck causing her to do a sharp intake of breath.

"What.. about... you?" She could hardly get a sentence out. His only response seemed to be a feral growl. So, he couldn't talk either. It only made the unbearable need, slowly building again, even more arousing; to know he was as undone as she. She grasped his hand that cupped her breast, and brought his fingers to her lips. She gently bit and sucked on first one fingertip and then the others, causing him to groan into her neck. "Go with me, Zev." And they moved together, the world spinning madly around them as she found herself chanting his name like a mantra as she toppled over the edge yet again. She felt his mouth lock onto her neck as his own body trembled and he curled against her curved back, his own breath releasing in spurts. They were both leaning forward grasping the side of the bathtub, their hands to next to each others on the stone. Kai was focusing on trying to keep her legs from just folding under her.

She felt his face nuzzle into her wet hair near her ear. His voice was gravely and low, whispering in Antivan, "Mi cielo, te quiero." And then he buried his face further in her neck and she thought she heard him make a slight sob. "_Por favor no me dejes nunca así de nuevo." _

"Zev, what do you mean don't leave you like that again?" She turned to face him, grasping his face with her hands to make him look at her. "What has you so..." She didnt' want to use the word frightened, that scared her even more to think that he was. "worried? I mean I have been deeply asleep before due to exhaustion, like right after Fort Drakon."

He raised his eyes to hers, a tear rolling down his cheek, her stomach lurched. "No mi cielo, not like after Fort Drakon. I could not get any response at all. You were so pale and you barely breathed. It was as if you had been poisoned again. I had thought you were, and Wynne had gone with the others to Highever. I don't know how many hours you had been like that, I had fallen asleep as well. I put you on Rhia and had Luna follow, and I rode with you as fast as I could. I did not want to alarm the others, nor your Scaths.

I caught up wtih Wynne, and made some excuse about a wound missed and that you were exhausted to the others. Wynne tried to use her spirit helper again..." He put a finger to her lips before she could protest how foolish that had been. Wynne would run out of years on her life if she kept doing that. She had already sacrificed, who knew how many years saving Kai and the twins when Kai _had_ been poisoned. "You need not worry for the lusciously endowed Wynne. I said she_ tried_, not that she succeeded. Her helper was blocked, completely. She described it as a wall, and they could not get through. That you were behind that wall, that much she could feel. We grabbed Morrigan, made some excuses to the others; and then Wynne, our delightfully dangerous witch, and myself all took you back here. We would have lied to Fergus, but Morrigan insisted he know the truth. The rest, I think we managed to persuade nothing untoward was happening. Morrigan thought Alistair might know more, so she took a sleeping draught and went into the Fade. The rest was as she told you."

Kai found him crushing her to his chest again cradling her while he just whispered 'mi cielo' over and over again. While Kai loved being snuggled into his arms, the water was becoming cool and uncomfortable. Zev, Zevran... I think it is time we got out of the bath. I don't know about you, but I am turning into a raisin, and the water is getting cold." She pulled back slightly so she could look him in the face and kiss his lips lightly, before she pulled away and climbed out of the tub. She took a towel and wrapped it around herself, and handed one to Zevran.

She dried off her skin and she sat on the edge of the bed to dry her hair while Zev went to the armories she to pull out cloths for the both of them. When he came back he held not only a pile of clothing, but a small wooden box. He set the clothing down behind him as he turned to face her with the box, which he set in his towel covered lap. Kai tried to read his expression, his mask was gone, but it was a expression she was not familiar with. He looked down at his lap and his cheeks were darker. Maker, was this Zevran's embarrassed look? She wished she had a paper and charcoal stick to draw it.

"Kai...Kaidana, I had thought to wait to give this to you, until Winter Solstice. But I am an Antivan and we know how short life can be, how precarious. We are taught from an early age to take it as it comes and enjoy it as much as possible. I realized when I thought we had lost you, that_ I _had lost you, that I had waited too long; and missed the opportunity, the same opporutnity that I had never had with Rinna. And now that you are here with me again, I intend to wait no longer."

She watched him do something she had never thought to see him do. He pulled at the fingers of one hand with the other. She covered his hands with hers. He looked her in the eyes, his amber one staring into hers. "With Rinna, I never did tell her...tell her what she meant to me, how much I...how much I loved her. I told myself at the time that I could not tell her, that Vimaro would find out and do something to her or to me. I told myself I was protecting her by not telling her my feelings. That the earrings were enough." Kai squeezed his hands. "But Vimaro had her killed, and he would have had me to do it. He had known all along how I felt about her. I was fooling myself Kaidana. I wasn't protecting Rinna, I was protecting myself, as I have always done." He put a finger to her lips yet again, stopping her. "I know you will say that it is not surprising given my childhood. But the truth is my beautiful, Kaidana, I was afraid. And now I find myself with a bigger fear than admitting my feelings. When I could not wake you, I was struck with the fear that I had not told the only woman, other than Rinna, that I loved her and that that woman was about to lie dead before me. You do realize my dear Kai, that I have never said that I love you? You have said it to me, but I have never said it to you.."

"Zev, I lo..." He put his lips to hers to stop her this time.

"No, I love you." He grasped her chin, his amber eyes bore into her blue ones. Then he held out the little wooden box to her. Kai took it. The wood was white Rowan wood, and it was ornately carved with vines, rabbits, foxes, an apple tree, and the moon and stars. The moon and stars were inlaid with silver, while the apples on the little tree were in gold.

"Zev it's beautiful!" She turned it over in her hands.

He chuckled. No my dear Kaidana, mi cielo, the real gift is inside the box. Kai smiled at him while cocking an eyebrow at him. She lifted the lid and inside was a dark green velvet bag. She un-knotted the string and tipped the bag upside down. Into her palm fell a silver earring made to look like an ivy vine, and she could see that it was meant to 'climb' along the outside curve of her ear. And there was a ring. Kai picked it up. It looked like no metal she had ever seen, and it was light, not heavy. It looked familiar but she couldn't place the material it was made from. It was intricately carved with ivy and knot work all around the band. Zev took the earring from her lap and gently removed Rinna's earring from her ear. And then it struck her, _Rinna's_ earring. That is what she would always think of it as. Zev had had an earring made just for her. She felt his fingertips brush her ear as he settled the ornament into place.

Kai automatically put her hand up to touch the earring, feeling the way the metal leaves curved with her ear. She recognized it as the work of the jeweler here in Highever. That is where Zev had disappeared to on Satinalia. "I know that we can never be wed by the Chantry..." Kai gave a derisive and unladylike snort, causing Zev to chuckle, "But we have never been much for tradition you and I. I pledge myself to you Kaidana, to your children, for the rest of my life however long that may be. I swear to protect you and them, unto death. There is nothing I will not do for you or for them. On this I swear to you." And Zev slipped the ring onto the middle finger of her left hand. Kai felt tears falling down her cheeks. But what he said next almost did her in completely. "I know that Alistair is your soulmate. But I pledge myself as your lifemate, if you will have me." Kai felt her throat tighten up and no words would come out. She simply nodded and grabbed his face with her hands an kissed him tenderly. They held each other for a while until one of them shivered due to a lack of clothing.

It was she was dressing when the new ring caught her eye in the sunlight of the window, and she saw the fine grain running in horizontal stripes across the ring and it came to her that it was made of, Ironbark. The Dalish used it for weapons, in fact Kai had helped collect it in the Brecillian Forest. Zev had given her a Dalish work of art, which he could only have bought when they were with Lanaya's clan. He must have bought it before Erys' betrayal. He had been thinking of her, even when she thought he had hated her. It made her heart constrict painfully, but this time in a good way. And then it struck her, what to do with all of Kylon's men so they wouldnt' be discovered ever again. She the answer was sitting right there on her finger.


	83. Chapter 84

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So Zevran gave our Kai his pledge and some special gifts. One of which has given our intrepid Kai an idea to keep Kylon, his men , and their families safe. Provided all parties can agree. And Kai has, as usual, her work cut out for her. Thank you all for staying with me! _

_And a shout out to one talented writer **Piceron **who just completed a short, "**After Rowan**." It tells of Loghain after he shoves Rowan at Maric after Katriel. It did a more masterful job than I did of portraying Loghain as a person and not just a bad guy. It is so worth the read. Please review it! _

_And a shout out to Rowan Atkinson's Black Adder. And on for the movie "Beetlejuice." I had to sneak then in, they fit so perfectly. ; )_

_As always, I am tickled pink and amazed that I get more people who find my story and put it on favs, and alerts, and me on Author favs and alerts. I am humbled and I like to thank you all personally. So shout outs go to **Alliezig** for putting this story on favs. And to **Slytherin Shadow Neko**, **Saida mom**, and **Kechicka** for putting it on story alerts. _

_My special personal thanks to **Night Hunter MGS**, The Brain to my PInky. He is my content beta and is the genius that helps me keep this entertaining for you. My love and thanks to you dear friend. And you need to write more stories! : ) And to the lovely talented **Ladyamesindy**, who betas phrasing for me and lets me interrupt her writing, all the time , *hugs*. And to **Janni**, my grammar beta, who should be sainted and have monuments erected to her. _

_And last but not least by any stretch of the imagination... sincerest heartfelt love and thanks to all of you who read, and those who read and review. My lurkers, my reviewers, the lovely people who make my stats bar on FF go up, up, up you are just the jelly to my peanut butter (or the honey, or the chocolate... : ) ). Thank you! _

_Blessings!_

Zev linked his hand with hers as they walked down the corridor making their way past the atrium towards the dining hall. Kai hated to admit it, she had never been much for jewelry, but she couldn't stop herself from glancing every few moments at the beautiful Ironbark ring sitting on her finger. And it wasn't just because it had given her an idea, a plan, for Kylon's men and their families. Though she would only admit it to Zev, and Fergus (maybe), and Ali (who knew everything she felt anyways) that the ring made her heart swell and shine like the moon.

And even when she wasn't looking at it, she could feel it sitting on her skin, hugging her finger like a well-known lover. Maker, you wouldn't think a simple band of carved wood, and an adornment would cause such silly emotionalism. Get a hold of yourself girl! Kai mentally chastised herself. Only one other thing had every made her giddy like this...Alistair's rose. The rose which she had safely tucked away into a special box that was made for it. She wondered if she couldn't take a petal of it to the elven jeweler her at Highever and have him make it into a pendant. That way she could have the symbols of the two loves of her life with her always.

"Hm, it is shame I never got to put a ring on your finger." Alistair's voice sounded wistful in her ear.

"My love, if you had given me a ring it would have been bent, scratched, and more than likely mangled beyond recognition with all the fighting were were doing. Not to mention I have no idea what archdemon blood would have done to a precious metal. And your rose is worth more to me than any piece of jewelry. When you gave it to me it was the first time I realized I was in love with you." Kai gave him a smile

"I know, sometimes I wish I had been able to give you a ring... and a big wedding." Alistair's voice had taken on a rascally quality. "All dressed in toile and lace, looking like a meringue. Oh you would have looked so... confection-ary!"

"The ring I would have gladly taken, but the big wedding? Ugh! I am so glad to have avoided that!" Kai heard him snicker. "Oh you! Ha, very ha! I think you made up that word confection-ary!

"Edible then?" He asked with a brazen grin.

"Oh you are a bad, bad person!" Kai laughed at him.

"Do you hate me?" He returned with a chuckle.

"Oh you have no idea how much!"

"Saucy! Promise to show me?" She could picture his lopsided grin and raised eyebrow.

"Wait until I show up in the Fade, I am sure I can come up with a suitable demonstration." She grinned. "Just remember my love, you gave me more than just a fancy ring or an elaborate ceremony."

"A floral arrangement and two buns in the old oven?" Kai couldn't help but burst out laughing which had Zevran looking at her with a raised eyebrow. He mouthed, Alistair? Kai nodded giving him a quick kiss. He grinned and squeezed her hand.

"You are a smart-aleck, good thing I love you... I think." She laughed and gave him a mental wink. "The answer cheeky monkey, is that you gave your heart for mine." She wrinkled her nose at him.

He laughed. "I love you too mi'gra. I think your idea for the refugees is a good one."

"Hm, provided I can get people to set possible prejudices aside and we can find the Dalish to ask. They have been staying away from humans more now, and I don't blame them."

Kai and Zev walked into the dining hall where she had called together some of her Scaths, and her friends. Only Fiona, Wynne, Fergus, and Morrigan, Oghren, and the newest to take the Vallaslin, Keiron were there. Keiron had signed on as an official Scath, which had surprised her. But he told it would be good to have a noble in her arsenal. A noble able to mix with the higher levels of society. He had just come back from a trip to Denerim and one of Anora's meetings.

Her Scaths were at weapons practice. Or scattered about the castle. Zaeed was leading the training session. Naseel she knew, was handling some of the reports and paperwork. Especially the report on exactly whom, had been the noble lick spittle who had discovered the soldiers at West Hill. That person, or persons, was going to have a day of reckoning, on that she made a solemn vow. She expected it to take a few moments for Naseel, Zaeed the few others she had invited, to arrive.

Fiona and a servant came forward holding Fi and Duncan. Zev grabbed Fi and Kai Duncan. She couldn't help but spend a few minutes placing kisses on their fat little cheeks and talking to them. Maker she had missed them! She just drank in their sweet baby smell, soft skin, and noticed that their hair was changing color. Fi's had been darker right after she was born, but that had fallen out a few days after leaving behind a light fuzz of blond down that had made her look as though she had almost no hair at all. Now Fi's hair was darkening and showing the red in it like Alistair's had had, but she had Kai's curls. Duncan's was dark brown and the hair straight and thick like Ali's. Kai had no idea how Ali had looked as a baby. But as Fi didn't look like Oren, who had looked like Fergus, at least according to her parents after Oren had arrived; Kai figured Fi looked just like her papa. Duncan seemed to be more of a mixture of both his parents, but he leaned more towards looking like Oren had as baby.

They kept changing so much and so fast. And they were both the most beautiful babies in the whole of Thedas. Of that she was absolutely certain. "I agree whole heartedly my love" And she could hear the pride in Alistair's voice.

"Scathach?" Kai looked up from her babies and grinned at Zaeed who returned the smile. Naseel, Gnat, Jarren and Rajed came in behind him.

Kai motioned for them all to sit. And when they all had she sat herself down next to Zev with Fi, while she adjusted Duncan to sit on her lap. "I know you all are aware of what happened with those soldiers, and their families. And I know that while I was resting, that Zevran had you looking into the how, why, and whom." Resting? More like tripping the, not so light fantastic in the not so much the Fade, she thought to herself.

With this Keiron broke in. Putting the flat of his hand on the scared wooden surface of the table with such force it vibrated. "I can answer that one for you Scatchach! It was my own sodding father!" His face was red. Kai had never seen Keiron's face wearing anything other than a happy go lucky smile. The twins who had been chirping got quiet, as did everyone else.

"The bloody bastard! True to my groveling, sniveling, cowardly ancestral roots he not only sided with the little viper on the throne; but he has aided in the killing of innocents and selling our own people into slavery!"

Naseel put a calming hand on Keiron's arm. "Scathach, Bann Ceorlic found out through a servant who had traveled there to meet family. The Bann heard the servant's comments about a new influx of strangers there and-"

"And used that information to lick Anora's hind end for favors!" Keiron's eyes narrowed and the hand he had resting on the table clenched into a fist. "I always knew my lot were cowards. I always figured that was why my grandfather sided with Meghren and Orlais, and why my father is siding with the viper. Bunch of men with no balls at all in my family tree. But to do it for money and favors! Which is just what that sperm donor who calls himself my father did! I was there, I saw the bodies. I can't believe he had a part in that." Kai watched Keiron's face his face turning red with anger and embarrassment and his eyes were bright.

"Keiron, you can't take that on yourself. Please, by Andraste's flaming knickers, don't follow my example in that arena!" Kai's mind flashed to the "Land of Regrets." Maker don't let him wind up like Loghain! "Look, I know I am not always the best leader, but please know this, we will deal with that bridge when we cross it. And I promise, on the name of my own father's honor and the Cousland name, I will consult you about what you think we should do with your father when we finally unseat Anora. I won't have you feeling like she did when Loghain got justice. She had no say. You will." Kai held up a hand before he could say he wanted the bastard dead.

Kai could see the shame, and hurt in his eyes. He loved his father still. Even if he was terribly angry at the man right now. She looked him in the eyes until he nodded. Naseel patted his arm again and Zaeed put a hand on his shoulder. Kai was pleased to see her other Scaths had been flanking him and supporting him. They must have known who the traitor was before she did. They were a family, by Andraste's flaming sword, and she would not let him torture himself over this.

Kai decided to move on, the plan she had needed to be implemented as soon as possible. She didn't want to think it, but the others could be found out too. Maker, something as simple as a servant talking after visiting family. Hopefully her idea, if all parties agree, would prevent that kind of accidental discovery from ever happening again.

"I have a plan, for the refugees. All of them-" Kai began.

"Is it a cunning plan Warden?" Oghren began to laugh and sway in his seat.

Kai couldn't help but grin at the dwarf. "Well that depends my drunken friend."

"On what Scathach?" Naseel rolled her eyes at Oghren.

"On whether we can get the parties who would need to be involved to agree." And Kai went on to explain that what she had in mind. Everyone sat and stared at her for such a long moment, Kai began to wonder if it was too 'cunning' a plan to borrow Oghren's quip. Kai rubbed Duncan's soft hair with her chin.

""Tis so insane it just might work sister." Morrigan gave her a lift of her lips and a cocked eyebrow. " And I shall go and seek out the Keeper Lanaya. If anyone had talked the rest of the elven clans into fighting a Blight, treaty or no, then surely she can talk them into having the elves take in the refugees as clansmen to stay with them."

"Thank you, sister. I think you had best head out in bird form today? And that means Naseel, I need you to send out word either by Procule globe, or Scath messenger, to tell the remaining refugees what has happened, and what is going on. Tell my Scaths to be discreet. I don't want to cause a panic amongst the refugees." Kai looked at Naseel, who nodded.

"It will be done Scathach." Naseel crossed her chest with her arms in salute.

"Well Warden, it seems to be a cunning plan all right. If you can get all the nug humping parties to agree to it that is." Oghren belched loudly and swigged his tankard. "Hey Warden, will this take us close to Lake Calenhad and The Spoiled Princess? The way you and the painted elf have been gettin' it on lately makes me miss Felsi. I'm feelin' kind of anxious, if you know what I mean."

Felsi! Oh Andraste's holy knickers! Kai remembered some important news, news she was supposed to deliver. News that she had lost a round of cards to deliver. Kai sighed to herself. Bloody hell! "No time like the present my love! time to suck it in and get on with it, right?" Alistair was right of course. But the fact that he was laughing was not helping.

"Wait until I get to the Fade!" Kai groused at him.

"I am sorry my love. I promise you can punish me." Again he started having a laughing fit. "But you have to admit, this would be funny if it weren't you." Kai huffed.

"Um Oghren, before you go, I have something important to tell you." Kai felt herself flushing. "Well, Felsi had a message for you. And with all that was going on, I didn't have the chance..." Kai looked at everyone else sitting in the room still. She made motions towards the door with her head, but they all pretended to be struck blind. Alistair started laughing even harder. She rolled her eyes.

"Well, you see, Felsi... well-"

"By the Stone, spit it out already Warden!"

"Bah! What my sister is trying to tell you, you drunken smelly lout, 'tis that you knocked the female dwarf up!" Morrigan stood up with hands her hands on her hips and glared down at Oghren.

"Morrigan!" Kai squealed. Alistair continued to laugh until he was wheezing. Zev was chuckling under his breath. And the rest of the room had been filled with coughs that sounded suspiciously like suppressed laughter.

"What? 'Tis the bubble headed bard who mentioned it, who had it from listening in on Wynne telling Fiona. 'Tis apparent the only one who did not know that this inebriated cretin had impregnated some poor unfortunate, was the foul mouthed buffoon himself."

Morrigan crossed her arms over her chest as the coughs became full fledged laughter no longer able to be contained. Alistair was gasping. Zevran gave a full throated laugh. Even the twins were giggling imitating those around them.

"If we had waited for you to spit it out sister, 'tis a certainty we would have been her for a decade. I had thought to speed things up since I have places to go and elves to seek. 'Tis the task you just gave me, is it not?" Kai put her face in one hand groaning, while she waved at Morrigan with her other hand.

Morrigan went to the doorway of the dining room where she gave Fergus a lingering kiss and turned into a Falcon that leapt on the arm Fergus proffered before he launched Morrigan's feathered form into the sky. Fergus' eyes followed her until she was out of sight. Kai hated to separate them. She knew what that was like. Sighing to herself, she looked to see the rest of the room were wiping there eyes and rising to go about their tasks.

When Kai dared to look at Oghren to see how he was taking the news, it was to see the bench empty. Kai cocked an eyebrow Was Oghren so upset by the news he had left in a huff? Kai was about to rise. Zev, who had been playing with Fi and Ducan, making a coin appear and disappear in his quick fingers, put a hand on her arm stopping her.

"If you are looking for our dwarven friend, he is under the table passed out. Do not worry my dear Kaidana. I do not think he is upset by the news." Zev grinned at her.

"Well, that's a relief. Morrigan's way is a little...straight forward." Kai smiled back at him.

"Oh, he may not be upset by the news, the question mi cielo, is will he even remember it later? You may wind up having to tell him after all." Zev chuckled as Kai felt her face pale, and Alistair started laughing all over again.

Sod it! Some days it didn't pay to get out of bed!


	84. Chapter 85

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So Kai has a cunning plan. She sends out her Scaths and the lovely, straight forward witch. And I left her with the prospect that she may still have to make good on her losing the bet and telling Oghren he is a daddy. Yeah, I know, I am so mean to her sometimes. : ) So I hope you will stick with me and continue to enjoy the journey._

_A shout out to Monty Python and __**Ladyamesindy**_ _for suggesting it. : )_

_Shout outs to the lovely people who put "Soulmates" on favorite story and me on author alerts. I am so humbled. So , __**Jeanne Calcrie**__, __**Fionn Rose**__, __**kiwibliss**_ _thank you all so much!_

_Thanks as always go to my friend and beta, my knight in shining armor, __**Night Hunter MGS**__. He is the Great and Powerful Oz and helps me keep this story on track. And __**Ladyamesindy**_ _my hero, who lets me bother her all the time for advice and betas for me too. My grammar beta Janni, who has been slaving away reworking the early chapters of this epic and fixing my commas and punctuation. I love you all. : )_

_And to you my lurkers, readers, reviewers, my adoration. You just keep this little happy epic afloat and chugging along. I love that I started to write for myself (and still do) but that you all thought it was worth it to join me in my own little world. THANK YOU! : ) I consider my signature in every chapter, my review for you all, you fantastic people. : )_

_Blessings!_

Kai was surprised by the discovery of having something she didn't usually have – more leisure time. She did of course have paperwork, reports to read, the intel on Anora's abuses, monies to be distributed, instructions for her Scaths (not to mention training with the Scaths), and pleas for assistance to The Silver Griffon.

And Kai found herself running the country more and more even if she was doing so "behind the curtain" so to speak. The management of trade, crop storage, and the distribution of goods were all things Anora was supposed to be doing and wasn't. Anora's inattention forced Kai, Eamon, Teagan, and the other nobles who were actually still working for Ferelden to struggle with these things. Having to work on them covertly made the job even more monumental. Kai blessed Andraste's holy knickers that she had such competent and loyal men and women to work with, as there was no way she could have done it without their help.

Thinking of the nobles led Kai's musings to Keiron. He had been upset, but had managed to put it behind a mask of fake jocularity and devil-may-care flamboyance. He had gone back to his father, claiming he had been away due to a wench and now it was over. He was acting the noble fop who had no cares other than what he drank or what soft, curved, and perfumed company he kept, while spying for her. Kai only hoped he wouldn't let his father's treachery eat at him. It was hard enough playing a false role, well mostly false. Keiron did have some of those traits, he was just playing them to the hilt.

Kai spent her mornings and part of the afternoons dealing with the day to days. But evenings were for her, the twins, and anyone else who might like to tag along with two growing infants. Kai figured she was going to be away from them once Morrigan and the few remaining Scaths returned. Time with them was precious and not to be wasted. She and Zev took them for their first swim. She spent the warm Ferelden evenings in the garden with the bees, lying on a blanket reading by lantern light when the sky had turned dark, and the twins lay sleeping between her and Zev.

It was when she had begun to count too many of those wonderful blissful evenings on the Chantry calendar Olwyna hung in the kitchen, that she started to worry. All of her Scaths had reported in, until only Morrigan's presence and report were the remaining absence. Fergus was beside himself. Kai only admitted to Zev and Naseel that she too was becoming anxious, not wanting to add to Fergus's already agitated demeanor.

She did have a distraction though. Oghren hadn't needed to be retold the news that he was going to be a daddy. In fact, any congratulations or comments of any sort, or even no comment at all, were enough to send Oghren for the nearest alcoholic beverage in whatever form he could find it.

Olwyna had shot to the moon when she had found her cooking wine missing. When she had found the culprit passed out cold, she had taken lather and a razor and shaved his facial hair completely off. And she was good. Oghren's chin was as smooth as a baby's bottom.

She then took poor Oghren, carrying him like a large sack of potatoes (as if he weighed no more than one of the twins), and marched him out to Lake Highever. She had dumped the dwarf unceremoniously in the lake and proceeded to lather him up with soap, clothes and all. Kai was convinced her gentle ministrations were going to drown Oghren if she wasn't careful.

It seemed that as soon the cold water and Oghren met, he came back to life. But Olwyna was sober and strong. Oghren's struggles and yelling, which got less creative as the dance went on, did not faze Olwyna one bit. When his mouth got too vulgar for her taste, she dunked him, holding him there until he bubbled, and then she drug him up gasping for air.

"Now see that you don't drink my cooking wine _ever_ again! And by Andraste's ass, get your sodding carcass to Lake Calenhad and see the mother of your child. Let that smooth face of yours remind you while the beard is itching as it's growing back, that you are the man and not the baby, you sorry sack of Ceffyl dung!" And with that Olwyna plucked Oghren up, dumped him on the bank and waded calmly out of the lake and walked her way back to the castle.

Kai caught Zev's chuckle, "That woman never ceases to entertain. What a truly delightful creature." Kai grinned at him before kissing him lightly on the lips and going to look after Oghren.

"Blasted woman! She is worse than the Archdemon and the whole darkspawn army put together! She shaved me!" Kai had to press her lips together to keep from laughing. Oghren was a sight without the facial hair. He actually looked younger, and well...Kai shook her head and clapped him on the shoulder. "SHE SODDING SHAVED ME, Warden!"

"Perhaps, my dwarven friend, you should not steal from her kitchen? I am an ex-Crow, and I would not dare to take from her domain. Especially if my skills were as bad as yours." Zev had come around to Oghren's other side and nodded to Kai and then at the dwarf, grabbing him under the arms to lift him. "Let this be a lesson to you. Embrace it as an experience from which to gain wisdom, no?"

"Huh, I suppose yer right. I will take this moment to say I need to go see Felsi, elf, if only to keep Fergus from having to find another cook." Oghren grunted and rubbed his now nude face. "Lucky for me it ain't Winter. A man could catch cold and die being naked like this!"

Kai motioned to Jarren who, along with a good number of Highever castle's inhabitants, had been watching the show. "Jarren, will you take Oghren and get him packed, and will you take a couple of Ceffyls and ride with him to Lake Calenhad when you go to see Timothy, please?"

Jarren smiled, nodded and gave Kai a cross armed salute, "My pleasure, Scathach, especially now that our drunken friend has had an impromptu bath." Jarren grinned at her before putting a friendly hand on Oghren's shoulder and walking with him back to the castle.

The crowd began to disperse since the show had ended. A dark haired serving girl wearing her locks in a style similar to Morrigan's reminded Kai of her sister. "Zev, it has been too long. We need to ride to the forest, start seeking the elves. Hopefully we can find Morrigan while we're there."

Zev nodded, "I hope our deliciously dangerous friend is merely delayed. I must confess, I too am uneasy. The only thing that gives me hope that our friend is still well is that Alistair has not said anything is amiss from his side of things, or you would have said." Zev shrugged at her.

"Tell our slick Antivan friend that I still have heard not a peep from witchy-poo. And she certainly hasn't shown up here in dreams or...well or otherwise." Kai could feel Alistair shrug, "But you know she and I are not that close. If I bug her to help you, that's one thing. But I honestly don't know if she would come to me for help. You know she thinks the dog is smarter than I am. She might take her chances elsewhere."

Kai gave him a mental grimace. "Alistair says she still hasn't show up to him, in the dream Fade or otherwise."

"I think it best we take our leave and go to the forest and look for our Dalish friends and ask them if they have seen her. Provided, of course, that they have met with her already." Zev nodded at her and started towards the castle to get packed and ready to ride.

And ride they did, a hard two-day journey across the Bannorn to get from Highever to the Brecilian Forest. Kai and her group found themselves wandering once again amongst the tall trees, leafy ferns, and dappled sunlight. Traveling in the forest with Ceffyls was certainly a different experience. Tree branches they had not had to worry about when walking through the forest had a tendency to appear suddenly at neck height for the rider. It paid to be diligent, or one could find the fast way off of a Ceffyl.

That part of her group included her brother Fergus was of concern to Kai. When she had tried to dissuade him, he pointed out that he had a very good reason for going on the trip with his sister. His explanation was rather on the practical side. As it turned out, Morrigan magicked a set of rings that linked both she and Fergus together so that if one needed to find the other, it would be possible. But the link only existed between the two of them. Fergus explained, as far as he was able since he did not completely understand the exact nature of the rings, that if he were to give the ring to Kai, for example, to take with her, Kai would get absolutely no reading from it as to Morrigan's location, and it would, therefore, be useless.

Kai had watched Fergus closely as she evaluated everything he just told her. Kai could see him bunching his shoulders and knew he was, as a very last resort, willing to throw a tantrum, something which he had not done since he was about seven years old. But she also knew that would be only as a _very_ last resort! Instead, he stood watching her. Fergus finally told her, "Look, sister, I argue rings around you...logically." She could see him as he tried desperately to keep the smirk from his face, wondering if she would remember. Kai raised her eyebrow so that he would know she did indeed remember their old tutor's, Aldous', favorite argument whenever he felt as if he were losing a debate against one of his charges.

"Kai, I am going to search for her. End of story. I can go with you, in which case we can pool our resources, or I can go without you, in which case you can worry the entire time..."

Kai finally sighed, knowing it was inevitable. "Fine."

And while she worried for his safety, she could not argue. She had seen that look on his face for only one other woman, and that woman was dead, thanks to Howe.

So it was that Fergus was reluctantly helping to set up tents for their camp. He had wanted to press on, the ring had been "telling" him that he was closer now, but Kai had been in the forest before. While the sun might not go down for hours yet, the shadows beneath the trees would lengthen and a false night would fall earlier than the sun set, making it all but impossible to see one's hand in front of one's face.

Tensions were high around camp; there wasn't much talking except for the barest communication required. It reminded Kai of camp during the Blight, right before they marched on Denerim to face the Archdemon. Of course Kai had had Leli along then, and it had turned into an impromptu "wake" for Kai. Or she had thought of it as such, as she had been planning on taking the final blow if Riordan fell.

Kai wished for Leli and her lute, even if it meant Kai would have to hear songs and tales about herself. The pretty bard always lifted the spirits of her companions. The weight of worry on the camp was enough to drive them to kip in their tents earlier than they would have otherwise. Kai fell into a dreamless slumber almost before her eyelids finished closing.

Kai woke with a start, wrapped in Zevran's arms, as the sunlight dappled the tent. She had a moment of panic that this was their camp during the Blight and that she had cheated on Alistair. Maker, she hated when her past emotions, namely her love for Alistair, collided with the reality of the present (his being dead). Camping in the forest again had brought back all sorts of memories last night. Memories of camping here in the forest looking for the Dalish, only to find them and a pack of werewolves spreading lycanthropy amongst the elves.

"Kai, I don't want to panic you, she is okay..." and the rest of what Alistair was going to say was lost as a raised voice drifted into their tent.

"What do you mean she is hurt!'' came Fergus' distressed cry. Kai scrambled to put on her leather armor. She was still trying to buckle some of it as she exited her tent to see Fergus with a young elven hunter pinned against a tree. _Oh Maker_ was Kai's only thought.


	85. Chapter 86

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So I left you all hanging with our favorite swamp witch down and out, and Fergus chomping at the bit while trying to find Lanaya's clan in the Brecilian Forest. Thanks for sticking with me on this crazy journey._

_Shout out to some stories I have been reading: __**westiex9**_ _on the Bioware forum "__**Chevalier's Trials**_" _about the Orlesian occupation from a Chevalier's point of view, and both sides are good and bad. It's an excellent read. It ties in nicely with __**Night Hunter MGS's**_ _fantastic short on Loghain for Memorial Day, "__**Duty Was The Lord of All**__." It delves into what it means to be a hero, or a traitor and what happens when are those lines blurred. He is a fantastic writer, and I am trying to encourage him to keep going. His story is here on . And another author on the BioWare forum named __**Firky**__, who has two tales there, "__**Ichor**__," and "__**Run;**__" both have Sten showing up as a secondary to the main protagonists._

_Shout outs to __**Levi Madden**__, __**ZabiGG**__, __**Shogei**__, __**gunner8202**__, __**Leo Lachance**__, __**skorge**__, and __**jenney1979**_ _(I am so sorry I missed a shout out on Whispers for you) for putting me on author favs, and this story on alerts and favs. Thank you all so much for the thrill I got seeing the email alerts with your names on them!_

_Special shout out to my friends and betas. __**Night Hunter MGS**_ _for keeping my content straight. And to my friend and beta who keeps my penchant for putting the word 'had' into everything in check, __**Ladyamesindy**__. She is a goddess for so many reasons but should be sainted for putting up with my constantly bugging her and the 'had' thing. And the gift that fell into my lap, so to speak, __**Janni**__. She keeps my penchant for putting commas in willy nilly to a minimum. Thank you all so much!_

_You know I can't go without saying to you all – my lurkers, readers, reviewers, and fans – how much I appreciate you. Maybe it sounds cheesy, but I am truly humbled by the support, the reviews and the traffic that this story generates. And it is all due to you. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart!_

_Blessings! : )_

Kai managed to buckle on enough armor to be halfway decent for company even of the unexpected variety. Though it had been over a year since the Blight when Kai had traveled in a tent and put on her armor while kneeling or had to put it on quickly, those skills had not gotten as rusty as she feared. When she had looked up from the last buckle that would keep her breastplate from falling down around her ankles, it was to see her brother with one hand grasping the breastplate of a frightened, round-faced Dalish elf who looked incredibly familiar. Though it was difficult to recognize features that were distorted by the red color rapidly turning to a purple, as Fergus' other hand rested right under the elf's chin and he had pushed his face very close to his victim's as he pinned the young man against the tree.

'What do you mean she's hurt!" Fergus repeated, a fierce look on his face. It was the little garbled mumble that made Kai recognize Fergus' prisoner. It was the young hunter whom Kai had helped woo his lady love, Gheyna. It was Kai, and some persuasion on her part, that had convinced Gheyna to accept the boy's proposal though he had not been able to complete his test of manhood due to the werewolf attacks.

"Fergus! Let Cammen go! Fergus!" Kai had to grab her brother and physically drag him back. It took some doing as Fergus was no soft noble who had others guard him. Her brother, like her parents, like herself even, trained almost everyday unless his duties running Highever kept him from it.

Kai finally managed to get her brother to stand down. She went to the poor young elf as he bent over with one hand on his knee and the other on this throat rubbing it where Fergus had grasped him in one big hand. "Cammen! Are you all right?" Kai flashed her brother a look and mouthed the words, 'What were you thinking?' before turning back to the elf. "How did you know to where to look for us?"

Cammen stood up, giving Fergus a scared sidelong look. "I was...I was trying to tell your friend here that the witch you travel with has been hurt and we have her back at camp." Cammen then blushed. "She told us about the ring she had, like the Mad Hermit's magicked ring. She said the ring told her you were close and to go and find you. She is quite insistent, and very..." Cammen rubbed his leather armor which looked cracked as if from extreme cold.

"Unrestrained? Formidable?" Kai smiled at him and patted him sympathetically on the shoulder.

"He says she has been hurt!" Fergus started to move forward, and Kai motioned for Argus to block him.

"Brother dear, she is obviously well enough to freeze poor Cammen and speak. But if you keep choking the poor boy, it will take us longer to find the Dalish camp and see to her." Kai raised her eyebrows in the code that they had used as children (calm down it said).

Fergus stood still, clenching and unclenching his fists rapidly. Wynne stood beside him giving him a motherly pat on the arm. Kai nodded and gave him a reassuring smile before turning back to Cammen. "So if you will help us pack up, we can have you ride with one of us on a Ceffyl and direct us."

"Si...sit on one of those beasts?" Cammen's face paled as he pointed to Luna and the other Ceffyls behind her.

"Cammen, we will make better time if we ride." Kai put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Just think of it as riding on a Halla." _A very tall Halla,_ Kai thought to herself.

"Think of them that way, my Dalish friend, and you will be fine." Zev had come to stand beside Kai.

Cammen just gulped audibly and set about helping them disband camp, which meant leaving the forest as they had found it as much as possible; no trash and the fire doused with water from the nearby stream. Kai was not about to burn part of the forest down due to negligence or haste, no matter how much her brother, or she herself, felt the overwhelming urge to get to Morrigan and see that she was not hurt with their own eyes.

It took Kai's constantly tugging on Cammen's arm to get his attention as he rode sitting behind her. She swore he was riding with his eyes closed. Her suspicions were confirmed when they finally made it to the Dalish camp and Kai jumped off of Luna first. She turned to find Cammen sliding slowly down the side of the Ceffyl with his eyelids plastered shut.

Kai rolled her eyes and sighed. It had taken far longer to get the camp than she had thought it would, probably because the one who was supposed to lead them there pretended he was blind. "Let me go, Zevran!" Kai spun around to see her brother being held back by the shorter Antivan, barely.

Kai went and grabbed her brother's arm, "Fergus! By Andraste's ass will you calm down? We are guests here. I am trying to keep the good will of these elves so as to possibly save many lives. You are always so level headed...when you are thinking with the head on your shoulders that is!" Kai slapped her palm on his well-armored chest, "Let me do the talking."

Kai turned to Cammen who was now standing next to Luna with such a look of relief on his face it made Kai want to laugh, despite all that was going on. Luckily for her and her group, Lanaya's clan recognized her and the rest, save Fergus.

Kai was also grateful that despite Erys's treachery, she had not left Lanaya and the Sun Hawk Clan on bad terms. One of the elven children ran up bowed and pointed to the Ceffyls. Kai nodded and turned to Rhia, giving the commands that would let the elven child lead them away to the halla pen, "Slan, garda." Kai gave them the words for "safe" and "guard." The Ceffyls would stand watch in case of danger.

Cammen finally composed himself and led them down the hill to the open field in search of Keeper Lanaya. It took a few inquiries of the clan's members, many of whom recognized Kai and either bowed or shook her hand. Finally they found the Keeper re-dressing the wounded arm of a hunter sitting in front of an aravel.

Wynne went immediately to the man and began casting, then smiled when the man sat fascinated, watching as the wound knit together before his eyes. Kai grinned, she never ceased to be amazed at watching wounds heal with magic herself, and she had had many more wounds healed by Wynne than the astonished elven man.

Kai turned to the Keeper who embraced her. "Welcome back, lethallan." Lanaya nodded her head at the rest of Kai's group, "and your friends as well. You will no doubt wish to see your wounded friend." The Keeper's eyes flashed to Fergus who was standing on the balls of his feet with his hands fisted at his sides. "She has been quite the handful." Lanaya made a sweeping gesture and bid them to follow her.

"She has taken a wound that will not let her transform, and that with her other..." Before Lanaya could finish, Fergus had grabbed the keeper's arm and spun her around.

"What is wrong with her?" Lanaya studied Fergus' face a moment. Rather than becoming angry at his rudeness, she smiled and put her hand over the one Fergus had latched on to her with and patted it. "Your...friend is as well as can be after being shot." Lanaya continued before Fergus could say anything, "Cammen mistook her for an aggressive hawk swooping towards me, meaning me harm."

"Cammen? Isn't that the name of the boy who brought us here?" Fergus turned swiftly on his heel looking for the young elf, his face red and his eyes bright. Cammen had taken that moment to disappear. The Keeper smiled and put Fergus's hand in the crook of her arm, forcing him to walk with her as they continued on their way to Lanaya's tent.

"She explained to us her missive from you, lethallan. And I have sent messengers out to the other clans. They should be here soon. I hoped to persuade the Mad Hermit to lend us his ring to find you, lethallan, but he would not part with it again. When we returned it with the letter you wrote and the supplies you asked be given to him, he claimed we had scratched the ring." Lanaya shook her head and chuckled. "We knew we would have to wait for you to find us. So we set up our camp in the same place we used during the Blight. The hermit told us that you would come. And then your friend told us of her ring linked to that one?" Lanaya nodded at Fergus's hand in the crook of her elbow, which bore a silver ring.

Fergus nodded as the fingers of his other hand reached out to touch it. They stopped in front of the Keeper's tent, and what ever magic the ring possessed must have been working, as the irritated voice of her sister floated out of the tent's doorway. "Oh, do stop standing about as if you all lost what little wits you had to begin with! 'Twould be most considerate if the old bat would heal my wound so I might get out of this tent and find the imbecile who shot me. I want to thank him again for providing me with the opportunity to sleep in the woods among such delightful company!"

The witch's voice dripped honey sweetness; Kai winced. She hoped Cammen could keep himself away from Morrigan for a while. She did not envy the poor lad her sister's ire. Fergus practically ripped off the flap of the tent upon entering. Wynne followed him at a more sedate pace.

Kai smiled at Lanaya and shrugged sheepishly, "I am sorry, Keeper, Fergus has been beside himself, and I have to admit to being worried myself."

Lanaya only smiled, "They are in love with each other. It is quite plain to see, even though your witch friend hides it in scorn." Lanaya gave a low laugh, "She only spoke his name every sentence."

"Aw, it is so much fun to hear witchy-poo is in love!" Alistair's voice sing-songed in her head before sobering immediately, "I am glad she is not too badly hurt."

"As am I, mi' gra." Kai gave him a mental smile. Kai ducked into Lanaya's tent to see Wynne working on Morrigan's shoulder while Fergus sat holding her hand and stroking hair away from her forehead.

Kai went to the side of the bed and patted her brother's shoulder before bending down and hugging her sister, kissing her on the cheek. It was the tears Kai saw running down Morrigan's cheeks that caught her by surprise. "I thought you buffoons would never get here! And the fool Templar kept running away from me when I tried to talk to him in the Fade!"

This statement was followed by more tears, which alarmed Kai. Morrigan had never been one for weeping, not even in anger or pain. "What do you mean he kept running away from you?"

In her head Kai directed her ire at Alistair, "Ali? You have some explaining to do!"

"Uh oh, I thought she was trying to trick me into coming into the dream Fade so she could use that dream net on me again. I wouldn't cross the border between them when I saw her." Kai could almost see him blush. "Hey, she loves to torment me, what did she expect?" Kai groaned at him.

"He says he thought you were trying to trick him so you could use the dream net on him again." Kai looked at Morrigan, "You and Alistair really need to bury the hatchet."

"Oh, I shall bury the hatchet, in his thick skull!" Morrigan's face turned red, and she balled one of her fists.

"Riiight, that sentiment will make me run right to her in the dream Fade, and right on through it." Alistair's voice dripped sarcasm.

"Sister..." Morrigan interrupted Kai by bursting into tears. Fergus rose, moving to sit behind the witch and pulling her back until she was gently settled against his chest.

"There, there my love." Fergus wrapped Morrigan in his arms and kissed her hair, "It is alright now."

"Alright? Alright?" Morrigan practically screeched, "It took me forever and aye to find these blasted elves! Then when I finally find them, that moronic whelp shoots me!" Kai watched as her sister snuffled noisily.

"Yes, Cammen has expressed his remorse. He is very lucky he did not kill her or cause her to fall too far to the ground." Lanaya looked at Fergus pointedly. "It was lucky for your...mate, that she was coming in for a landing."

Fergus nodded, and it struck Kai what Lanaya was on about. If the expressions on Wynne's and Zevran's faces were any indication, they too understood the Keeper's meaning. Only Morrigan's face remained confused. She looked from one to the other.

"'Tis most amusing to be sure, to play games with me. But I, for one, have no patience for your jests." And with this, the hand Fergus wasn't holding began to glow with power.

Fergus grabbed her hand and kissed it grinning. "I believe, my darling love, that the Keeper means you are pregnant."

Kai had to keep her lips held tightly together to keep her giggles from escaping as she watched her sister's already milky skin become white as snow.


	86. Chapter 87

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, Morrigan has a bun in the oven or is up the duff or expecting. Depending how you want to put it. How does she take it? Oh boy!_

_And a couple of shout outs, one to __**Night Hunter MGS**__, who helped me with an outline for my refugee arc. He is my content beta, I don't envy him the task, really! So send good vibes his way and please read his excellent writings! He is a fantastic author, and I am shamelessly trying to get him to write more. Help a girl out? Flatter him, give him reviews! : ) And to __**Violet Theirin**_ _who gave me the Alistair quote about getting lost and losing one's pants. I never got that convo in game, so I posted it below for those, like me, who didn't either. Please read hers and review! She has a great new one out about Jowan and Amell called, "__**She's**_ _**My Salvation**__." And to __**westiex9**_ _on the BioWare forum who gave me the bit about Fergus and Morrigan having baby dragons and the ensuing issues. He has two stories, forum only, his newest is "__**Chevalier's Tales**__." I highly recommend it, it is worth going to the BioWare forum for._

_Shout out to my beta and friend **Ladyamesindy **(her newest is "**The Perfect Proof of Love is Trust"**) for telling me, yes, we are there and I can send it to **Janni **my other shout out. She is the delightful, wonderful, brilliant, well-read lady who had been fixing my grammar. Now, for those of my fans who re-read and who want to print out copies, thank Janni who has been working tirelessly on revamping the earlier chapters and has gotten all the way to Chapter 63! She is a mad woman I tells ya! And I am thinking of starting a Janni fund to supply her with chocolate and yarn (her other hobby, knitting). So send good vibes to her too please. She is a gem._

_My shout out to those who put me on fav author, and the story on favs, and alerts; I can't tell you what thrill it is to see those emails and how much I appreciate you all for it. So thanks to __**shogei**__, __**Eva Galena**__, __**Shenzi123**__, __**Ariz0na sky**__, __**Avey Tare**__, __**BookCharmer**__, __**Sizzia**__, __**Dark Phenoix,**_ _**Talar7Wolf**__, and __**JeanneCalcrie**__._

_And my humble love and gratitude to you all. My lurkers, my readers, my reviewers. You all make my day, my week, my month, my year. Reviewers, special thanks for taking time out of your busy lives to not only read, but to tell me your feelings on Kai's wild ride. Thank you! : )_

_Here is the Ali quote from the convo on leading and losing one's pants. I wonder, would they be schleets?_

"What? Lead? Me? No, no, no. No leading. Bad things happen when I lead.

We get lost, people die, and the next thing you know I'm stranded

somewhere without any pants." - Alistair

_**Blessings!**_

"It cannot be true!" Kai watched as Morrigan's wan skin blossomed with two red spots high on her sculpted cheeks.

"Considering what you and Fergus have been up to, it's not only true, but should come as no surprise." Kai grinned at her sister, "You of all people know it isn't good Fade spirits who bring babies, right?"

"Of course I know that! I am not some bubble headed imbecile, or that fool Templar!" Morrigan scowled at Kai, her low voice becoming a growl, "I know perfectly well how babies are made and where they come from!"

"He-yy, that hurts my manly feelings, I know where babies come from too!" Alistair's voice mock grumbled into her ear.

"All one of your manly feelings you mean?" Kai gave him a mental grin, "Are you still sure you know, even now, where babies come from, mi gra?"

"Oh you, you are just as evil as Wynne!" She could feel him grinning. "Though I do have to wonder if the world isn't coming to an end, Morrigan, spawning..." She felt him give a melodramatic shudder.

"Well, I for one am very happy with the idea." Fergus grinned, squeezing the witch's slender frame more tightly to him.

"Fah! You would think 'tis wonderful, but we have established that you are mad! I shall be cranky and get fat, and you will think I am ugly. 'Tis a certainty that you will then go and find some trollop to warm your bed." Morrigan's angry face got redder, but tears continued to slip down her cheeks, "And I will be stuck at home with a squalling babe, while cooking over a hot stove."

"Cranky? She isn't cranky now, she's down right bitchy!" Kai had to keep the laughter bubbling up in her throat from reaching her lips at Alistair's statement. She clapped a hand to her mouth which made her sister utter a low growl in her throat. Kai held up her hands in a placating gesture.

"Now, my love, I wouldn't care if you were fat, but I don't see that happening. And we have a cook, and she is the ruler of her kitchen. I doubt Olwyna would deign to let you anywhere near one of her stoves, even if you had a mind to." Fergus kissed the back of Morrigan's head who, with her hair down, looked so much more vulnerable and childlike, making her tears even more heart wrenching. "So, why are you really so upset my beloved?"

"Foolish man, I am not upset!" And with that the witch leaned forward away from him and crossed her arms while putting her nose up in the air.

Fergus only grinned, grabbed her shoulders, tilted her head back and put a finger under her chin to make her look at him, "What really has you so upset?"

"Because...," Morrigan's face got redder and more tears leaked from the corners of her eyes, "because I don't want to be like my mother!"

"Now, love..." Morrigan's eyebrows drew down as her eyes narrowed.

"How can I not be? I was raised by her! I am nothing more than a cold-hearted..."

"Uh oh, witchy-poo is losing it! I only teased her about _looking_ like her mother. Of course if she can turn into a dragon like Flemeth, well then I recommend that Fergus replace all of the wooden furniture at Highever with dwarven stone furnishings. Dragon babies and oaken highchairs don't mix." Kai could hear Alistair laughing at his own joke.

"Hush you! I am trying to be supportive, and your not hel-ping!" Kai complained. Alistair laughed harder.

"ENOUGH!" Fergus's sudden roar made everyone jump, even Ali, "How much do you have to do before you realize you are nothing like that woman? You helped my sister, you have saved her life on numerous occasions, and you asked for nothing in return except her friendship! Even when you were not sure you had her friendship anymore, did you not return to save her, not knowing if she would forgive you? Would your mother have done the same?" Morrigan's mouth opened, but Fergus continued, talking over what she might going to say, "And did you not go and help rescue Zevran? Or help the Dalish against Bann Loren's men? Did you not help my niece and nephew into the world? Or call my sister, your sister? Would that old bat Flemeth have ever done any of these things without wanting something in return?" Morrigan just shook her head. "And do you think for one second I could love anyone like your demon infested, bitch of a mother who intended to kill you and take your body?" He glared at Morrigan, who now looked at Fergus with pride and love and admiration shining in her eyes. Again, she shook her head. "Well then, I want to hear nothing more on this topic. You will be a wonderful mother, I have seen you with the twins."

He leaned in and put his lips to hers, and Morrigan wrapped her arms around his neck. It soon became apparent that they were not coming up for air any time soon, so Kai and the rest discretely made their way back out of the tent into the camp, making sure the tent flap was down and securely in place.

Kai found herself blushing and hurrying towards the center of camp and the fire pit laid with logs there, as the noises coming from the tent behind them were getting louder She also had the thought that her brother and Morrigan were using the Keeper's tent. "Keeper Lanaya, I am so sorry, I promise to have them out of the tent, before tonight!" _And I will burn the bed clothes for you if you want, _she huffed to herself.

"Do not worry yourself, lethallan. They are in love and have been separated and frightened for each other. I do have tents set up for you and your party." Lanaya walked them to a stand of pavilions and led them inside so they could put their belongings away. "I expect some of the clans to trickle in over the next few days. I am hoping that no more than two, three days at the most for the other clans to arrive."

"Thank you, keeper. I am grateful for your help and your friendship." Kai returned Lanaya's smile. "Well, since it is early in the day, I was hoping I might purchase some supplies from your merchants and take them to the Hermit; I did promise I would visit him again."

"I know, lethallan, that he is eagerly awaiting your arrival. When we went to borrow his ring again, he told us he had to have it back because you were returning and he wanted to make things nice for you, so he had to know when you were coming." Lanaya smiled, "He is quite taken with you. We have been leaving supplies whenever we are near to his camp as you asked us, including books. We just change them out. He leaves the ones he has finished reading, and we place the new books with the supplies."

"Oh my, another man in love with you! Zevran better watch out, he has competition! You might decide to run off and live in a stump in the forest." Alistair's voice laughed in her ear.

"Ha, very ha! And no thank you! That stump smelled...aromatic. Stronger than even Oghren's usual miasma. Pass!" Kai grinned

"At least he stopped using pages from books for his backside." She caught Ali's shudder, and suppressed a chuckle.

She handed over a leather pouch with coins in it to the keeper. It would pay for the supplies she would take today and be good for six more months of supplies for the poor man. Lanaya smiled and patted Kai's arm, "The supplies we leave him along with books are all collected by Master Varathorn. He and his apprentices usually take them when they look for ironbark to collect."

Kai grinned, "I will be happy to look for ironbark while I am on my way there. Master Varathorn was most generous to me in the past, so I am happy to return the favor." Kai gave Lanaya a cross armed bow before turning to her remaining companions, "Okay, who wants to go visit a mad hermit?"

"Ah, a ride in the woods, bark hunting, and talking to a madman. That fortune teller in Antiva never told me that my life with you would never be dull, my beautiful Kaidana." Zevran kissed her, "I will go and fetch the Ceffyls. My beautifully endowed Wynne, shall I saddle up Bran for you?"

"I believe I will go. Considering Kai's penchant for trouble, a healer along is always handy." Wynne flashed Kai a saucy grin and before she could protest about not looking for trouble (it always knew just where she was), Wynne laughed, "I also could use more plants for potions."

Zev walked off towards the lake and the halla pens where the Ceffyls were pastured. Kai, Wynne and Argus made their way to Master Varathorn's aravel. It looked as though he had acquired a new apprentice and the young man he had with him during the Blight had been promoted. Kai watched as Varathorn chastised the newest assistant, while the other gave a sideways glance and a smirk before plastering a salesman's smile on his face and leaning across the table to see to his new customers.

When he saw who it was, his smile got wider and he turned and grabbed Varathorn's arm, giving it a shake until the annoyed man looked up, "Yes! What is it? I have to keep this scoundrel from ruining what ironbark we have, I don't have time for..."

"By Sylaise!" And Varathorn was shoving the new apprentice out of the way and coming around the table, "I am so glad to see you well, my lady!" He had her arm in a warrior's grip.

Kai smiled at him, "I am well, my friend, or at least trying to be."

"Well, you took a hard blow when last you were with us. I and others were worried." He smiled at her, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I would say you, your clan, and the others took more of the blow than I did, Master Varathorn." Kai grimaced. Lelyth's dead and broken body on the bright green grass floated into her mind's field of vision. She shook it away as her heart squeezed painfully. She put a wall up around her last visit with Lanaya's clan lest she start remembering the other dead, including that little boy. _Stop it!_ She gave herself a mental head slap. Kai was at least grateful they hadn't set up camp in that site again.

She tried to give Varathorn a smile which must have reflected more of her inner turmoil than she thought, from his giving her arm a little pat and his own nod. "So, Master Varathorn, I have come to see you about the supplies for the Hermit, and I thought I might look for ironbark for you while we are out?" She gave him a genuine smile and a little chuckle at the way the craft master's eyes lit up.

"By June's left stone, that would be very much appreciated, my lady! I have more trouble with the new apprentice than I had with the old one! I swear he is going to burn the camp down! What is it with these youngsters and their penchant for overusing fire?"

Kai giggled as the young apprentice blushed and looked down, while the older one smirked once again. Varathorn turned to the older one, "Don't smirk so hard lad, or do you want me to tell Jonren some of your tales of mishap?" The smirk left the young man's face immediately, and it was Jonren's turn to smirk. "Well Renthan, don't just stand there looking pale, get the Hermit's supplies and be quick about it!"

The lad went to a chest and brought out two bulging leather bags. Varathorn turned back to Kai, "I put soap and a razor in there. But I don't know if he has ever used the others that I sent. More clothes of course, lighter weight for the summer's coming. Boots, his last pair were in need of replacing. I gave him a new skinning knife for the game he has been catching and fishing line with hooks. I also put in sewing needles, thread and paste in case he needs to make repairs, even a comb in case he lost the last one or it broke. Anything to remind him he is a shem, not an animal." Varathorn smiled. "I think we have been making progress with him. He seems better, though he has his moments. I think your kindness did the most for him, lethallan. The rest has just been building on that. I put new books in, they seem to make him the happiest. I do the trading with the shem merchants. It was only a matter of letting them know I was interested in books. We read them here at camp when he is done, and then sell them back for new books. It has been good for everyone. I have included more food items that will keep, along with flour, some honey, tea, and some spices. I added salting materials so he can salt fish and meat to make them keep, and a couple of new water skins too."

Varathorn looked up from the interior of the bag he had been holding, "I don't think I have forgotten anything. But if he mentions anything, well, just let me know when you return. I shall make sure he gets it."

Kai smiled and nodded, "I will see if there is anything I notice at his camp that he might need. Thank you, Varathorn, here is a little coin for all your trouble and kindness. I gave Lanaya the coin to pay for the supplies, but you should have some for your efforts."

Varathorn waved her away, "I will take nothing from you for that, lethallan. I am happy to help. But if you feel you must repay me, look with those sharp eyes of yours for ironbark. I fear this new apprentice is going to use it all on practice. Which means I may be sending him to clean out the halla pens instead!" Varathorn threw this last bit over his shoulder at the youngster who was blushing.

Kai waved her goodbyes and turned to find that Zev had been there waiting with the Ceffyls. They packed the supplies for the hermit into the saddlebags and started deeper into the forest. At one point Kai thought they might be lost. Some of the paths that had been made by Swiftrunner and his clan when they were running though this part of the forest had grown over. The forest animals apparently preferred to make different avenues.

It was in one glade with Wynne plucking herbs that Kai and Zev sat side by side on the log of a fallen ironbark tree. She had collected the bark from it and now sat trying to get her bearings. Time did not sit still in the forest, and Kai was getting a little nervous that she would not be able to figure out where the Hermit might be. "It is certainly different from when last we came wandering through here, is it not, mi cielo?" Zev grinned and wound his fingers with hers.

"You can certainly say that! I don't know why I didn't think to bring one of the Dalish with me, or even ask Master Varathorn for some landmarks." She gave him a rueful smile.

"Perhaps, mi amada, it had to do with unpleasant memories?" He gently brushed hair away from her face. Kai could only gape at him. "It would be natural for you to have such distractions running through your mind, and I saw your face when you were talking to Varathorn." Kai felt tears threatening to well up in her eyes as she bit her lower lip. "No, mi querida, don't." Zev leaned in to give her a lingering kiss.

It was the woof from Argus that had them all standing with weapons at the ready, or in the case of Wynne, her staff and magic. The crashing through the underbrush was followed by a shout from a familiar sounding voice, "Hello, Warden, don't attack, it is only Tythen and I!" The "I" turned out to be a person Kai had not expected to see; Swiftrunner stepped out from the underbrush followed by the Dalish hunter Tythan. It was Tythan's sister who had been watching the children the day of the attack by Erys and Bann Loren's men. Swiftrunner had saved not only Lana, but the children, leading them into the forest and hiding them all in the woods under leaves before drawing off Bann Loren's men. Apparently, Swiftrunner had stayed with the Sun Hawk Clan.

Both of them wore a bow and quiver and had a string of rabbits and birds that had already been field dressed. Kai felt her face lighting up in a wide grin. Not only was it very nice to see familiar faces, but here was a solution to her dilemma.

She sheathed her daggers as she strode forward hand outstretched to grasp first Swiftrunner's forearm, then Tythan's in a warrior's clasp. That was not enough for Swiftrunner who then swept her up in a bear hug lifting her off her feet. Tythan laughed at her dazed expression, "I think, my brother, that you are squeezing a little too hard. I think she can't breathe." Tythan clapped Swiftrunner on the shoulder.

Kai managed to gasp out, "You may not be a werewolf anymore, my friend, but your strength is still formidable. I am please to see you again as well!" Kai grinned, "I had thought you might go with the soldiers in the bannorn or arlings." And then it struck her that some of those dead bodies in the watchtower could have been Swiftrunner and his clan if they had.

Kai found herself swallowing hard as her stomach rolled with a wave of nausea. She felt Zev's warm fingers twine with her suddenly cold ones while he put out his other hand in greeting to Swiftrunner and Tythan. Kai beckoned them back to the clearing around the fallen tree where she told them all that had happened at the watchtower and her plans for dispersing the remaining soldiers and townspeople of Gwaren in with the elves until Anora was off the throne. Hence, the calling of the clans for a meeting earlier than they would have normally gathered.

The fact that she managed to get though the telling without vomiting she supposed said something about her healing psyche. Swiftrunner grasped her hand, giving it a little shake, "Well, I can certainly see why you want to ask if the Dalish can take them. We move around so much, and only certain members of the clans ever come into contact with shem for trading." His yellow eyes looked thoughtful, "I am glad you came to Lanaya with this, it is a good plan. And it is good to see you again, lethallan."

"Shem, lethallan? Are you going native Swiftrunner?" Kai allowed herself a teasing laugh.

"I should hope so, since he married my sister just last month. I am to be an uncle when the leaves turn to flame and fall like rain." Tythan clapped Swiftrunner on the shoulder and grinned at him while the bearded human blushed.

"Well, for whatever reason, your sister decided to give this poor excuse for a human a chance. I couldn't resist." Swiftrunner started plucking leaves of grass and shredding them, "I have you to thank you know, Warden. You brought me to them. If you hadn't I wouldn't have met my Lana."

Kai could only blush while Zev reached out a hand in felicitations while grinning, "Congratulations, my once furry friend! I hope you have a healthy little one in the Fall. But we shall be here until the babe is born if we do not get to the hermit, no?" With this Zev gave Kai a sideways glance and a smile.

Kai wrinkled her nose at him and gave him a quick kiss before turning back to Swiftrunner and Tythan, "I hate to admit this, but this part of the forest looks so different now that I am lost. I was trying to reach the hermit to drop off supplies for him and to visit with him as I promised." Kai felt a flush rising up from her neck. _Ah, the great and mighty Warden, Hero of Ferelden, lost in the woods, how embarrassing_. Kai did a mental squirm.

"Well, at least you stopped and asked for directions." Alistair's voice teased her.

"More like I stopped because we were going around in circles, funny guy." Kai gave him a mental grin.

"At least you still have pants. We all know what would happen if I were leading." He laughed reminding her of that time in camp when he had teased her that he was going to turn their companions against her with gossip so he could lead.

"Actually, my lady, you aren't far from him. He is just around the bend." It was then that Kai realized some of the fallen trees in the clearing were dead sylvans, the ones she had and her party had killed in the clearing near the hermit's home during the Blight.

Kai blushed harder and slapped a palm to her forehead, while expelling a loud sigh, "Now I know the clearing! I certainly hope the meeting with the hermit goes better than my leading us through the forest." Kai grumbled under her breath. Zev only chuckled and gave her hand a squeeze before rising to get the Ceffyls.

They opted to walk as the distance was not far, and the deer or wild halla track was narrow and required them to walk single file. When they came around a bend in between two gentle hills, the area opened up into a clearing which was the only part of the forest Kai actually recognized.

Or at least she thought she did, but even this looked different. It took a moment and then Kai realized that the tent was actually open and there were two cots inside with blankets and a mage light on the beside table along with a pile of books. The tent was obviously being lived in. The area was clean of its previous detritus. The fire pit had a cheerful little fire going with a kettle on a tripod above the flames. Wood was laid out neatly for the evening. The stump no longer had a large burrow under its roots as if for some giant rodent. Kai watched as a young elf rose up from a crouched position near the fire where he had been filling mugs with tea leaves.

Kai recognized that auburn head of hair with the facial tattoo immediately, as did Wynne, "Aneirin! Child, it is so good to see you once again!" Aneirin walked towards Wynne, his arms wide and a smile on his face. They embraced for a moment.

Before they could start a conversation, the air crackled with energy and one minute the space next to Kai was empty, then it was not. Kai had a moment to be thankful they had Ceffyls, not Chevals, who may have startled but did not turn and run. The hermit stood before her. Or at least she thought it was him, but the man before her was clean, and while not clean shaven, his beard was trimmed. His hair was cut neatly and clean of dirt and leaves.

But it was the eyes that looked into her own which revealed the greatest difference; they seemed less haunted, more lucid. For the second time that day Kai found herself being grasped in strong arms, though this encounter was so brief she would have missed it if she had blinked. She had no more started to pat the hermit on the back when she was released and he had stepped back.

"I knew you would come! Do you know how? The ring, the ring of course! The ring you gave me!" This was followed by a giggle. He threw up his hand and showed her the silver ring she had given him. It was glowing with a soft blue light. "I couldn't let the elves have it, though they have been kind, so kind...but because of you! Always because of you! I needed it you see! I wanted to have tea ready! And biscuits! We have biscuits! Aneirin and I made them in the little stone oven we built. Aneirin is my friend too, so are the other elves."

His speech seemed to have changed from a series of questions to a non stop torrent of statements. Kai grinned at him, "I have more supplies for you, clothes, food, some practical items, and of course more books."

Kai went to the Luna and started to undo the saddlebags, "You just have to tell me where you would like them placed her..." Kai turned to him with the leather bags in her hand, "I am afraid I don't even know your name."

"I know yours, I remember, it is Kai! Kaidana Cousland. I didn't believe you then, but I hadn't really talked to anyone in so long. Not even Aneirin. He had nothing to trade for questions you see. But after talking to you, I remembered what it was like to talk to people again!" This was punctuated by another giggle, "I remembered my name again too! It is Nissyen, I am Nissyen! And when _they_ didn't come to take me away to the Tower, I realized you are a friend. You wouldn't hurt me. And then Aneirin talked to me, and the elves came to visit, bringing things. And I remembered I am human. And I had friends who would keep _them_ from finding me." Then the old mage came and grabbed one of the bags from her hands and started to rummage through it before looking up like a naughty child, "Oh, sorry, thank you!"

Kai smiled and gently stroked his old wrinkled cheek, "You are welcome, Nissyen."

The old mage surprised Kai with the speed with which he moved, and the strength of his grip when he grabbed her hand and grasped it to his chest tightly. The old man's eyes dilated so much that they looked black, and she felt as if she were looking at the bottom of the Waking Sea. His voice became calmer, deeper, and more lucid, "What is the monster that does not think and has no soul? What is the monster that does think and has a soul made from blood? What is the maker of these puppets, and the puppet that cut its own strings? These are the questions for you this time, my friend. The answers you must seek, or rather the questions' answers may seek you, and soon too while you try and topple the apocryphal queen."

And just as suddenly as he had grasped her hand he released it, the simple smile returned to his face as he beckoned her to the fire, "Come I have tea, and we have biscuits, did I tell you we have biscuits?"


	87. Chapter 88

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, we have Kai trying to see if the Dalish will do her a favor, again. And we have a couple of surprise visitors. I hope you enjoy! : )_

_Shout outs to my fans who put this on alerts, and favs, and me on favs. I give my thanks to: **Sweet Candy Rain**, **Pearla**, **Warrose**, **Gidgeygirl**, **HellenKHC**, **Yaini**, **The Lost Girl 21**, **Shogei**, **Caledvwlch**, **Shadowynne**, **chichi41**, **Gaspode**, **Arianna 27**, **rhiannaskye, Vixen's Shadow, loialoha, elizrj**, and **Leopordstar**! You guys rock my socks! : )_

_Special shout outs to my betas. **Night Hunter MGS**, my content beta and a wonderful friend, fantastic writer; and to **Ladyamesindy**, another very dear friend, and extrordinary writer who always helps with my phrasing, and my use of the word had (ARGH); and to **Violet Theirin**, my cookie taster and another fantastic writer. I could not do it without them! And I have a very special shout out to a new kind of beta, my French beta, **The Lost Girl 21**. Yes, she has sent me corrections to my French for Gnat in my previous chapters, and I am sloooowly fixing them. I got 68 fixed because **Janni **(my other shout out), that saint among humanity, had been polishing my earlier chapters for all you fans who re-read. Bless everyone of them! Really, what would I do without them? I love you guys! Thanks (because really, I can't say it enough). 3 : )_

_Oh, and I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, real life conspired against me. So I posted the chapters of "First Cut is Always the Deepest", and "Whispering Sighs of the Blade" that I had on reserve. Now I am out of those too! I best get to writing! : )_

_**Grithon'as**~ means "Wings of the Gryphon," and is the name the Dalish use for Grey Wardens. (A shout out goes to Ladyamesindy's hubby for giving me that word. I wanted something only the Dalish would use for Wardens, like the elves in LoTR called Gandalf Storm Crow). _

_Blessings! _

After her very pleasant visit with Nissyan and Aneiren (pleasant after Kai had gotten over her initial shock at the old mage's strange riddle), Kai and her group had come back to the camp with Swiftrunner and Tythan. They had slept the night in uneventful slumber, to rise with the dawn and the sounds of aravels as the other clans that had been farther afield trickled in. By the mid afternoon all of the Ferelden clans had arrived. A large pavilion with several long tables put end to end and surrounded by chairs.

Lanaya had explained that this was the tent they used when the clans gathered to discuss Dalish business. So, once the representatives of the various groups had settled and established their individual camps, the elders made their way to the tent to meet with Lanaya, Kai, Zevran and was in attendance as well. He lay at Kai's feet, under the table, and as a marbari, had very little he could contribute to the conversation other than the occasional 'woof'.

Kai pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed as Keeper Hessyn continued his ongoing debate with one of his fellow keepers, "What do you mean we owe the Shem? We owe them nothing! If that is your way of getting me and mine to take in a bunch of round ears you are sadly mistaken!" The Keeper of the Falling Leaf clan crossed his arms and scowled

Kai could feel a headache developing behind her left eye. Her shoulder muscles were so tense she felt as though they were lodged permanently around her earlobes. The debates had been going on for hours. Most of the clans had agreed to take in the soldiers and their families, save a few hold outs. And that had slowly changed to only one hold out.

Normally, that might not be a problem. The soldiers and their families were in such numbers that it wouldn't make a _bit _of difference The problem, as Kai saw it, was that the clans were all interconnected: they met, traded with one another and married between groups. If they could not all come to an agreement, it might result in a rift that would not only make things difficult now, but widen as time passed. Such a rift could weaken and destroy the Dalish, and that she was _not _about to do

"By Mythral's tits, Hessyn! She and we are not saying that we the Elvhen owe the shem anything! You always were one to take things and twist them to cause mischief and strife! It is a wonder, did Fen'Harel come to your mother the night you were conceived?" The Keeper of the Dancing Otter clan put her hands on the long wooden table and leaned in towards the man a sweet smile on her face. Tanarys, Kai reminded herself. She was spending the better part of the debate trying to memorize the names of the Keepers so she didn't inadvertently insult one.

"Really, we already helped the shem in their little war with monsters, because we had to, or so we were told. All because of some mouldering piece of parchment and an agreement with misbegotten legends. I lost my brother fighting for the round ears, and what do we have to show for it? Land of our own? Of course we don't, Elgar'nan turn eyes on them! We received exactly what we always have, nothing!"

"What, are Dirthamen's ravens nesting in your hair, Hessyn?" Tanarys slapped a hand down on the wooden table causing the mugs there to jump, "The Creators turn you into a halla! It would sweeten your disposition. Our ancestors gave their word to the Grithon'as. And we do keep our word Hessyn, or we would be no better then the shem. But this woman has not broken her word, and she has come to us for help. I have no doubt if the boot were on the other foot, she would help us. It will do no harm to take in the homeless shem. And might I remind you, if it weren't for this women, the home we have would have been stripped and sent to Tevinter, and we probably would have been next, and sold as slaves!"

"No harm, no harm? What are you mad?" Hessyn turned his glare on Kai and her group, "Lanaya's own clan was attacked by a shem traitor brought in by this... woman!" Hessyn spit the word out, and the statement hitting her like a fist. I took all of her discipline to keep her face neutral, "Round ears only bring betrayal, destruction, and death!"

"Heey-y! That was unfair!" Alistair's voice registered in complaint and Kai gave him a grateful mental smile. While Zev's hand grasped hers under the table giving it a sympathetic squeeze.

Keeper Lanaya put a gentle hand on Hessyn's arm, "Keeper Hessyn, we are not sugges-"

Kai broke in with an apologetic smile at Lanaya, "Keeper Hessyn, you and yours owe us nothing. And it would actually be, I, that owe you. Despite that mouldering piece of parchment, and the agreement with... what was that term you used?" Kai smiled at him, "'Misbegotten legends', I think it was. Well, despite that, I feel that Ferelden owes the elves a great deal. To me, you are Fereldens, we all are. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to repay you. I hope to be in the future, but it is an...investment, shall we say?"

Kai stood up and waved her hands to encompass the whole, "But with that said, I will not have some clans taking these refugees against their fellow clans' objections. I will not be the cause of bad blood between you. I will just have to find another way." Kai looked around the room bowing to each of the elders in turn, "I am truly sorry to have caused an upset in your routines. And I thank all of you, for coming and holding your traditional meeting early for this." Kai nodded to her group and gave Argus the tapped signal on her thigh, "I will leave you all to discuss your private clan business." She smiled at them, though her heart was sinking and made her way to the doorway of the tent and out into the night air.

Argus pressed close to her thigh, sensing Kai's disappointment. She patted his head, trying to distract herself from her internal walls which were rapidly crumbling at Hessyn's words. He was right after all, it was probably a mad idea for her to be asking for yet another favor. Every time she approached the elves it meant death for them. Death facing the Archdemon or death from one of her own. Add to that, other than packing the soldiers and their families off to the Free Marches, Kai had no ideas what to do to keep them safe. So far she was turning out to be a failure at this 'Hero of Ferelden' thing.

"Whose idea was it that I come back here again mi' gra?" Kai asked Alistair.

"I blame boogity boo lady!" Ali's voice tried for levity.

"Ha, very ha! Yes, do extend my warmest and sincerest thanks when you see her next won't you?" Kai gave a mental grimace, "Tell her if she has any brilliant ideas to pass them along, at least she could be of some sodding help."

"Kai, mi amada?" Zev's voice broke through her little reverie. Zev's arm was wrapped around hers. His voice soft with concern.

She shook her head at him and smiled, "No, I'm fine. It does still hurt, a lot, but what he said is the truth, no matter how painful. I am a round ear who had brought them death and destruction for very little in return except to beg them for favors." Kai smiled at him and Wynne ruefully, I guess I will just have to see if the soldiers would be willing to go to the Free Marches?" Kai pinched the bridge of her nose again, "I will have to send scath there to see if any of the freeholders will accept them. That is if Kylon's men and their families are willing to go that far. Maker, why can't it just be simple for once?" Kai felt one hundred years old. "Well I can spit in one hand and wish in the other and see which one fill up faster, as old Nan used to say." Kai huffed out a sigh.

"Ho, there little sister!" Kai turned to see Fergus, grinning at her while walking towards her holding a tray with bowls of what looked like roasted pheasant on a bed of some yams and various greens, with fresh bread on plates. The smell of which were making her mouth water.

"Sex apparently agrees with him." Kai whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"You will find, mi cielo, that sex, particularly sex with someone you love, agrees with most people, no?" Zevran gave Kai a sly smirk and a sideways smile.

"Zev is quite correct, though I must say, they truly make each other happy. Who knew our prickly 'Witch of the Wilds' would have had it in her?" Wynne chuckled.

Kai just looked at Wynne and cocked an eyebrow, Wynne shrugged and smiled, "What? I do happen to know about sex, child, I did have a son you know." Kai couldn't help but laugh as Wynne winked at her. Zev gave a deep little snicker.

Fergus stopped in front of them all. The scent of the food mingled more strongly with the night air, and Kai's stomach rumbled loud enough to be heard by the others, who all laughed. She realized she had not eaten yet today. They had food at the meeting of the elders, but her nerves had been such that she had been unable to force herself to eat. Now her stomach was grumbling irritably to remind her of her negligence.

"I think little sister, you are either very hungry or you have a mabari hidden under your shirt." Argus cocked his head and whined giving Fergus a confused look, "There is a communal food station set up. Apparently when they gather they clans, the meals are all combined and everyone contributes. I have offered to go hunting tomorrow to help do our part. Though I am not as good with a bow as you sister dear. You may want to volunteer your services." Fergus grinned at her, "I had better get back with this before it is cold, or I might wish to face a pack of mabaris instead. When you get yours, Morrigan and I are at the bonfire in Lanaya's section of camp." He stooped and kissed Kai on the cheek, and grinned at the others before heading off again, the smells of his meal trailing behind him.

Kai's stomach rumbled again, and she gave her group a rueful grin. "You young lady need to eat!" Wynne chuckled at her, using her favorite jab at Kai's expense. They all started to walk towards the area of camp Fergus had come from.

Kai couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. It has started when she had left the Keepers' pavilion. She had attributed it to the elves of the other clans who had never seen her before. Or probably any round eared human ever, for that matter. But this feeling had the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

"Warden!" Kai turned to see Cammen, the sweet faced elven hunter that Fergus had tried to strangle, "I wanted to speak with you, but your brother..." She watched Cammen flinch and look toward Fergus's retreating back.

Kai grinned and gave Cammen's arm a little shake, "My brother will have already forgiven you. It is my sister, the witch whom you shot, that you should watch out for still."

The elven hunter turned to her and gave her a small sheepish grin, "I swear I didn't know the hawk was really a shem! It was just flying at our Keeper!" Cammen's face turned a brilliant pink.

Kai grinned, "Well, I am just glad you didn't kill her."

Kai watched Cammen's face get redder still, "I couldn't! We are the Sun Hawk Clan, to kill one of our clan's namesake is to invite the wrath of Andruil the Huntress!" Cammen looked down and shuffled his feet, "I know that I often seem a fool, but I am a good hunter with my bow, one of the best!"

"I know Cammen, that is why you needed to take your test and hunt while the werewolf attacks were going on, not just for Gheyna. I know what it is like to have people see you a certain way." Kai grinned at him and punched him lightly in the arm, "If it makes you feel any better Morrigan treats everyone that way, and if she was really that mad, you would be in a stew pot cooking as a rabbit."

"Oh, erm...well when you put it like that, I guess I do feel better." He gave he another happy smile, but still flashed a look the way Fergus had gone, "You're sure about your brother though?"

Kai nodded and patted Cammen's shoulder. A shiver went down her spine. That feeling of being watched was getting worse. she looked slightly over her shoulder behind her. She noticed Zev's tension as well, he too felt it.

Kai nodded to Zev and gave a little eye roll towards the edge of the forest. He nodded and followed her lead. She grabbed Cammen's arm while speaking to him, and Wynne, out of the corner of her mouth and giving Argus a series of hand signals, "Don't look, but there is something or someone watching us all from the edge of the forest. I want to walk a little ways away from camp and circle back quickly. Be ready with your bow." The young man nodded to her. Kai raised her her chin at Wynne who gave a slight nod.

Kai and Zev walked closer to the edge of the woods, while Wynne and Cammen stayed back a ways as if to give them a moment to speak. Kai pitched her voice higher as if in anger, "I don't wish to discuss it anymore Zev!"

"Well I think we should talk about it!" He looked at her raising an eyebrow, "You always avoid the topic when I bring it up!"

She cocked her eyebrow and rolled her eyes towards the darkened woods stalking closer to the treeline, she let Zev grab her as if he was trying to stop her. Kai could feel whatever or whomever was skulking in the shadows had definitely been following her, not the others. She had heard the hint of movement as she had moved to the treeline. She whispered to him, "Ready?" He squeezed her arm in response before she tore it from his grasp and whistled to Argus, while drawing her daggers.

They were about to plunge into the trees when her skulker revealed itself. At first Kai wasn't sure what she was was seeing. It looked like a cross between a ghoul and a Hurlock. It's eyes were blood red and black instead of the pale lifeless color of a normal darkspawn. Its skin, rather than the dark rotting, emaciated skin of a darkspawn, was pale as bone. In fact, its face looked like a living skull, the nose nothing more than flat holes for nostrils. It smiled and showed black fangs for teeth. _ Well at least something on it looked familiar_, Kai thougt to herself. A part of her wanted to giggle.

Its armor was very different as well. It wore a chain mail coif and haubrek under plate armor and cloth. The armor was well made and not crudely crafted. And no darkspawn had ever worn cloth before.

But it was the deep voice that spoke in complete sentences (albeit in a hissing lisp) like any human that chilled her to the bone, "Greetings, _Warden_. I am The Suppliant, and the Father wishes to.. _speak_ to thee." It tilted its head, raising its hands in supplication while smiling a mouth full of ebony points.

"You know, I am afraid I am going to have to decline your very gracious offer. Tell this _Father_, whoever he is that my schedule is full, and I just can't fit another thing in at the moment; but that I do thank him for his kind invitation and I do hope he won't be too terribly disappointed." Kai watched the, creature for wont of a better word, tilt its bald mail covered head to the side a confused look on its bone white face.

Not to swift on the uptake. Smarter than an Alpha, but not brighter than small human child? Or maybe it just didn't get humor? Kai had a moment to wonder before it spoke again, "Your ways are...strange. The Father said this is so. You sound friendly yet, you say no. Very confusing." It tilted its head again, "The Father said that this might happen. We cannot take no for an answer, Warden."

"We? As in you and what army? And as for the Father, he is just going to have to take, no, for an answer." Kai smiled sweetly at the figure before her.

The Suppliant looked at her as if digesting what she said, "You will go to see the Father." Its hairless brows drew down in what she supposed was an annoyed look. "You will come with me."

The creature looked at her again, and smiled a broad grin. _Uh oh_, Kai thought, I may have spoken too soon. The Suppliant turned and made loud hissing noises into the woods. And shadows began to break off from the surrounding darkness walking into the moonlight.

"My dear Kaidana, perhaps you should be more careful when asking what army in future, yes?" Zev's voice held tense amusement.

"Wynne!" Kai yelled behind her and the mage shot up a blast of magic that shot up into the sky that exploded in a brilliant shower of sparkling light. Kai knew that Morrigan would know it meant darkspawn and warn the elves. They had devised the use of the bolt of magic to during the Blight on the battlefields. If their groups had gotten separated fighting, and one of the mages was in the group then they could be more easily located. Wynne's bolt was a brilliant blue white and it lit up the area causing the darkspawn to hiss and cringe at its radiance.

Kai did a quick look at the battlefield, assessing what they were up against. Apparently this Father had heard of Grey Wardens and their abilities. When the Suppliant said it (she refused to call it he) wanted it to go with her, it wasn't kidding.

"You sound like Shale." Alistair's voice did a nervous chuckle in her head, "Please be careful mi' gra!"

Kai gave him a mental grin, "I will, beloved. I wish you were here."

"I wish I was too. For so many reasons." She could hear the wistfulness and the worry. She huffed and continued with her head count.

There was one Hurlock emissary, several genlock archers, and several Hurlock warriors including an Alpha in full plate with a horned helm. She gave Argus commands with hand signals, and looked to Zev, who nodded. To the young hunter he instructions were simple, "Cammen! Darkspawn with a headdress there. Five shots rapid." And then the mayhem began.

Kai had intended to go after the Suppliant, but the creature had backed off into the woods once more and she was blocked from him by the Alpha, who gave the deep chuckle that seemed to be their trademark. Kai was dancing with with Hurlock and his axe. He swinging the massive blade and Kai trying to get in close enough to get in more than the shallow slices she was getting in.

It was a bellowed war cry that had both her and the Alpha pausing in their battle to look for its source. Kai caught a brief glimpse of Fergus running full speed towards them. She took a step back but the Hurlock was not as bright, or too stunned to move, or both. Kai caught a brief glimpse of the Cousland family herald as Fergus's shield swung out and smashed into the Alpha with a screeching crunch of metal on metal. The Alpha staggered backwards bent over, arms wrapped

More arrows flew threw the air as the Dalish entered the fray. Fighting with Fergus and his shield smacked of the familiar. It was as if she was fighting with Alistair again. The old stategies came flooding back. Kai managed to paralyze the Alpha from behind and roll out of the way in a backward flip as Fergus took off its head in one strong swipe.

What was happening behind Fergus made her breath catch. Keeper Hessyn was trying to fight a genlock and two shrieks had appeared behind him. Kai took a running start, "Fergus! Duck!" put one foot on Fergus' bent back and launched herself into the air coming down stabbing her daggers into the backs of the shrieks and knocking Hessyn and his Genlock to the ground momentarily.

She kicked the Genlock in the chest as it had risen up and used its own sword against it. She was just helping Hessyn to rise when her hair was grabbed from behind and a dagger put to her throat pricking it. She felt a drop of her blood running down her neck and pooling where her collarbone met her neck.

"I told thee, thou were to come with me." Kai felt the hot breath of the Suppliant across her cheek, "The Father said it thou would not come, then to get thy blood instead."

"Kai!" Fergus ran forward and Zevran wasn't far behind him, with Wynne bringing up the rear. Kai put up her hands telling them to wait.

"And what would the Father need with my blood, seeing how it is no different than the others here." Kai felt the blade giggle at her statement.

"Thy blood is special, to be a Warden makes it so. Thy blood sings." Kai could almost picture it tilting its head in confusion.

"I am afraid your Father is going to be sorely disappointed, I don't have the taint anymore. My

blood can't carry a tune in a bucket, let alone 'sing'." Kai chuckled.

She felt the blade lift from her skin, though the hand holding her hair did not release. Instead she felt the warm carrion breath of the Suppliant on her jaw and throat as it sniffed the small wound there.

"This one does not understand! This one was told thy blood was needed, that it sings as ours does! The tune of they who must be found by my mindless bretheren. This is not possible! Someone lied to the Father! Thou are no Grey Warden! Where is the Warden? Thou will tell this one!"

Its voice raised in a high pitched whine turned into a scream of pain as Kai took the opportunity to raise her elbow and jab it into the Suppliant's groin. She did a flip forward and used her boot to catch it in the jaw as she rolled away from it. She grabbed her dagger from the shrieks and turned to face the Suppliant, only to find it had been encased in ice.

Fergus went to it and pushed it over with his shield where it shattered. Kai looked around quickly thinking Morrigan must have been the one, but the mage she saw was not the enchanter she expected to see. Nissyan stood a ways in the distance with Aneirin beside him. The old hermit was grinning from ear to ear, "I decided to come and visit you this time!" He giggled, "And we brought more biscuits!"


	88. Chapter 89

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_And the saga continues...I hope you enjoy! : )_

_And my thanks and blown kisses to those who put this story on alerts, and favs; and who put me their very awed and humbled author on favs and alerts. So this is for: **Asdara, Firebaby 213, Lyonene, evensky, shenzi123, mailencita, Sailor Miaka, Siha Shap, patbaking, Jess-Mamori. Mew-Kurohyou, Nevastar, Gwyndylyn, suomvision**, **Willowstead **and **Okami636.**_

_And my love and admiration to my betas; ** Night Hunter MGS **(watch out for those size 14's), **Ladyamesindy **(she keeps me on track and let's me bug her all the time, bless her heart), **Violet Theirin **(my cookie taster, and just a sweet little light in my life that makes it a better place), and **Janni** (sweet, lovely, saintly Janni! You woman are amazing, and I am ever so grateful for your willingness to fix my grammar). I can never tell you all enough how much you are appreciated._

_And my signature thanks to all my lurkers, readers, reviewers! I am humbled everyday when I get alerts, and the stats bars go up. Or I get a personal email, or I see that review. You are all so wonderful, and thanks for staying with me and Kai. ^_^_

_Blessings!_

Kai allowed Wynne to fuss over her for a moment before she directed the mage to see to Hessyn and any others who may have been injured, as the cut on her neck was shallow and had already stopped bleeding. "Well, little sister, life with you has never been boring." Fergus walked up and pulled her in close. He brushed her hair back from her face and looked at the cut on her neck before sweeping her into a fierce hug. He kissed her forehead before releasing her and stepping back. Grinning, he turned to walk up the hill to where Morrigan waited, clapping Zevran on the shoulder as he went past.

Kai watched as Fergus and the witch embraced. Zevran's fingers stroked along her neck near the wound. "Your brother is so right, my dear Kaidana. As a Crow, trouble likes to find me on occasion just to remind me that Fortuna gives with her right hand and takes with her left. With you, mi amada, trouble always knows right where you are at all times, does it not?"

Kai grinned, "I do seem to be the center of Trouble's attention ever since I was small." She grabbed his fingers and kissed them.

Zev was about to say something further when a rather irate voice sounded out behind them, "What by the Creators' tits and stones was that thing, Warden?" Kai turned to find Keeper Hyssan with a scowl on his face. Kai went to him, trying to assess the man's injuries and to formulate a response for the elder when she wasn't even sure exactly what the creature now lying in pieces of blue ice on the ground had been. A darkspawn, but not one Duncan had ever mentioned.

"Ali?" Kai asked into her own head.

"Duncan says the only speaking one he knew of was the Architect. Who this 'Father' is and how this talking darkspawn came to be, he cannot say." She could feel his scowl and pictured his eyes crimping at the corners as they did when he worried, "I do not like this mi' gra. Please be extra careful. If this Father's hench-toady doesn't return, I suspect he will send others."

"I will, beloved." Kai sighed, just one more thing she had to unravel on top of everything else. She repressed the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose again and realized that Hessyn was standing looking at her with his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face. Another belabored huff of air escaped her lips, "I am afraid I can only answer that in part, Keeper. It is a darkspawn."

"One that speaks in complete sentences? I thought only Alphas and Emissaries spoke, and they not more than a few simple words. Just what is going on here? Is this something else you have kept from us to garner our support?" Hessyn's bright green eyes stared into her blue ones.

"I give you my word, Hessyn, I did not. I know as much as you on this." Kai did her best not to flinch, though she felt guilty for having brought yet more trouble to the elves's doorstep. At the rate she was going, the elves would never trust humans again. At the rate she was going she might just start another war with them. Maker's blood!

Hessyn stood looking at her for several moments more, his expression unreadable. He then nodded and uncrossed his arms, "I think after the clean up is organized, we need to have another meeting, _Warden_." Kai watched as the keeper turned on his heel and began speaking in Dalish to his fellow elves, pointing at the chunks of darkspawn and the other bodies lying in various places. He turned and nodded his head once at Kai and then back at the way to the meeting tent indicating she should follow.

Kai sighed, a deep outpouring of breath, and looked down at her feet before making the move to do as she was bid. Her stomach gave a louder rumble of protest. Sod it! She still hadn't managed anything to eat. She did pinch the bridge of her nose this time, called to Argus and wended her way up the hill in the wake of Keeper Hessyn. She passed by Aneirin and Nissyen, stopping briefly to speak with them. Aneirin assured her they would help with the clean up, and she pointed them in the direction of the food, promising to find them lodging so they need not traipse through the forest in the dark. She continued up the hill and entered conference pavilion once more. She sat in her previous seat with Argus lolling at her feet while they waited for the leaders to return.

In the light of the lanterns, it was apparent that Hessyn had suffered some minor cuts, one of which leaked a trail of blood down the side of his head and around one pointed ear. Kai stood and approached the elder. She hoped she had not caused the injury when she knocked him and the genlock over, "May I?" She asked him and pointed to area of the cut. He nodded and allowed her to tilt his head to get a better look. The wound was shallow, but as head wounds tended to do, it had bled profusely and this one still oozed as she watched. Kai looked up to see Wynne and Zevran entering the tent as well. Both held a tray with food and drink on it. Wynne put hers down at Kai's nod in her direction.

Wynne began to tend to the keeper with a firm but gentle hand, "Thank you, Warden." He grimaced as Wynne tilted his head and placed a glowing hand on the wound. Kai wasn't sure if that thank you was a sarcastic one or not. Rather than take a chance on angering the man further, she decided to take it as sincere. She smiled and nodded and went back to her seat. Zev sat in his previous place and placed a bowl of baked fish on a bed of espinaca, which looked to have been drizzled with some sort of translucent brown sauce, in front of her and handing her a horn fork. It smelled divine and tasted even better, though at this point she could have chewed on the scarred wooden table before her and found it tasty. She kissed him by way of thanks. He grinned and nudged her bowl closer after breaking off a hunk of bread and buttering it for her. She figured Zev expected her eating to be interrupted, as it always seemed to be. Kai smirked to herself, but continued to scoop up fish and greens with her fork in a rapid motion, just in case.

The other elders filed in taking their places and looking between Kai and Keeper Hessyn with curious glances. Out of politeness, they looked but did not whisper amongst themselves as humans would have. They were content to wait patiently. Kai could see that "shemlen" or "quick children" applied to more than her species' short lifespan. Keeper Lanaya waited until the last of the Keepers and their Firsts had found their places before setting guards at the entry and closing the canvas.

Kai decided she had best start; she was the "Grey Warden" here, technically. She stood up and had a wild moment to hope she didn't have food stuck in her teeth, which made her want to giggle. Maker! Speaking in front of groups of people made her nervous. She cleared her throat, "Yet again, I owe you all an apology for bringing ill to your camp and clans. As you can see, Keeper Hessyn was correct, where I go trouble follows. The darkspawn were after me, so I will leave as soon as it is light. I will not endanger you or yours any further."

"It seems a little late for that does it not?" Hessyn stood up and leaned on the table towards her, "Did you know about this new breed of darkspawn?" Kai shook her head. "I would also ask you, Warden, were you aware that if I died in battle that Nelasyra my First would have been made Keeper of our clan?" Kai nodded. "And as you have been paying attention to these proceedings, you also know she sides with taking your round ear refugees?" Again she nodded at him. He cocked an eyebrow at her, "You could have let them kill me. I was too far away from the others, they would never have known you were close enough to save me. And yet, you still risked your life and risked capture to save me, shem." Hessyn straightened up looking her with his intense leaf colored gaze, "I would have let you die to get what I wanted, were I in your position. You know this?" Kai nodded again. "Hmmphf, we will take your refugees then. I agree to side with all the others. And I wish you luck, Warden. I just won't say what type of luck." And with this Hessyn laughed and stuck out his arm grasping Kai's in a warrior's grasp.

There were some hours of talk about where to meet again so that the refugees could be brought to safety. The coordination of each group, who would gather which set of escapees, which of Kai's allies would do the gathering, and what clans would take whom all had to be settled. Then, the arguments began again about the meeting point for accepting the new temporary members of the Dalish clans. An accord was finally struck that the clans would all travel to the area that had been stripped by the Tevinters near Gwaren. That area had been the place they had intended to hold their yearly meeting in any case. The elvhenan had been working on replanting the trees there. All the clans would be able to work towards that goal while they waited for the families and soldiers to arrive.

Kai sent word via procul globe and set things in motion from her end. Her Scath and her companions at Highever would see that the families from the north, west and southwest were gathered and escorted safely to the rendezvous point. Kai would gather a group in the town of Watersedge in the Bannorn of Rainesfere, working their way back down the Imperial Highway gathering the rest before meeting the others in the forest glade.

With the final plans all hammered out, and it certainly felt as if a hammer had been used on her skull, she stumbled off to bed. Kai had finally convinced Zevran and Wynne to go to their tents earlier and get some sleep. Zev had left reluctantly, but she convinced him that nothing fascinating or dangerous was likely to happen, that he might as well go and get some rest, and that she would be there shortly. That was hours ago. When Kai finally walked out of the council tent, the camp was dark and quiet. Only those guards on watch or those who couldn't sleep were present. The air had that soft, thick feeling of early morning an hour or two before sunrise. Sounds were dampened and muted as Kai made her way to the tent she and the others shared.

One lone pool of candlelight guided her to where Zev lay. He was sleeping sitting up with a book open on his chest. She took a moment to watch his face, so relaxed and unguarded. She changed as quietly as she could into her shift and bent down to stroke a hand along his tattooed cheek and to kiss his still lips before blowing out the candle. As her hand and lips touched him she felt a hand squeezing her throat. Amber eyes looked into hers with a passing of aggression then regret. His fingers released her throat immediately and before he could think about it more she grinned at him, saying before she brushed her lips to his, "I am glad that retiring from the Crows and settling down with a lifemate and two children hasn't dulled your reflexes any."

"I am afraid with you, mi cielo. I had best keep them more finely honed, now more so than ever." He returned her grin, and she wrinkled her nose at him before she went to her side of the bed and crawled in under the covers. Zev blew out the candle, placing his book on the nightstand before tucking her in against him resting her head on his chest. She fell asleep listening to his breathing and the steady beat of his heart.

_Kai felt the soft grass beneath her feet and heard the chirping of the crickets singing into the still night air. Little points of light from fireflies danced and looped through the dark night, as if the stars had come to the earth to do a jig amongst the trees and blades of grass. _

_As always she felt the tug of the unseen connection between them before she even felt his warmth as he wrapped his muscled arms around her and buried his face in the hair at her neck, leaning her back against his chest. She took a moment to revel in the strong comfort and safety of him. He was her haven and her sanctuary, "Hello, lover." He gave a cynical bark into her hair, "Alistair, Ali, mi' gra." She turned around to face him, putting her hands on either side of his face, "I know you are worried, so am I. As if Anora isn't enough to deal with. But it is what it is. These mysterious talking darkspawn are just something else that will have to be dealt with as best we can and only as the problem arises. I have another task to worry about right now, and people's lives depend on it. You and I are just going to have to take it as it comes and trust that I have what it takes to succeed. Now if I can convince myself that I do..."_

_His hands gripped her waist as he pulled her to him, putting his forehead to hers, "I know you do. I never doubted it, not ever. It was obvious you had what it took from the moment we met and you told that mage off. It wasn't just that I didn't want to lead you know. I mean I didn't...really want to lead, you know that thing about getting stranded sans pants. But I knew you had what I didn't to end the Blight. It wasn't that I let you take over._ _ It was just natural and for the best. My fear isn't that you don't have what it takes, my fear is that our children will lose their mother. And yet a part of me wants you back in the Fade with me, so I am...conflicted shall we say? And then I feel guilty because I'm conflicted. It is quite a tangle I find myself in."_

"_Mmm, me too, as I feel the same way." Kai murmured as she put her lips to his running her fingers in his hair as he pulled her closer, molding their bodies together. One thing she loved about the Fade, clothes were not a hindrance; if she wanted them gone, they were. For both of them. _

_Alistair looked down and grinned, "You are a saucy minx, aren't you?" In response she simply ran her fingers up from the base of his spine causing him to shudder, moaning as he took her lips with his before trailing them down her throat. He carried her and laid her on a blanket on the grass, his lips trailing lower before capturing her own once again._ _ The taste of him slipped inside of her, like some spell binding her to him. When he demanded more, she followed. Her fingers kneaded shoulders and along the ridged muscles of his back, delighting her as she aroused him._

_She reveled in the feeling of being with him once again, and the sensations he awoke in her. She always felt so blissfully alive. And more than that, she felt joyfully whole. They rose together and danced in the early summer air like the fireflies. Dipping and cresting, heart centered to heart, soul to soul, mouth to mouth. She was his, and he was hers. _

_Kai savored the way his callused fingers teased her breasts, the tips hardening causing her whole body to vibrate with pleasure. The softness of his lips in contrast to the slight scuffing of her soft skin from the stubble on his chin, which when applied to various parts of her body cause her to gasp. A sip here, a caress there, a nibble, a lick, all slowly given and taken as a treasure, one she knew she would have to carry with her back from the Dream Fade. _

_When he slipped inside her, their gentle rise and fall mimicked the dancing lights around them, mate seeking mate. Shimmering and building in slow waves of pleasure like waves on Lake Calenhad. No one, nothing else existed, and she could forget it all in this lovely moment of bliss. It filled her heart and overflowed as their lips met again. Their fingers entwined as they slipped off the world together._

_Later, as she lay with her hand cupped on his chest the steady beat of his heart thrumming beneath her fingers with one of his hands covering hers, she realized her mind had created the Dream Fade version of the Brecilian Forest when they had been there during the Blight. She and Ali had snuck off to be together during the problem of the werewolf plague. She couldn't help but smile as she tucked herself tightly around him, head on his shoulder as he grasped her to him, and they both dozed off..._

She woke curled on her side as Zev's fingers stroked her hair, and he blew air onto her ear as he whispered softly into it, "Mi querida, it is time to rise." His lips brushed her ear in a kiss. She opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy smile, rubbing her eyes a little. The yawn came unexpectedly and made her blush. Zev chuckled and gave her a sympathetic grin, "I am sorry, mi amada, I let you sleep as long as I could considering the time of the night you stumbled into our tent. But I know you are worried about Kylon and the others. You would not thank me, I think, if I left you to sleep as much as you need, no?"

She grinned at him, "No, probably not." She kissed him and threw back the covers to rise and get dressed.

"I have eaten my breakfast. Your brother, our delicious witch and the delectable Wynne are all breaking their fast. I am going to see to the Ceffyls, and I will get them saddled and packed up. I think you should join our intrepid group and eat while you can. We know how you and food seem to have a tricky relationship." He grinned wider and kissed her back before turning on his heel and leaving the tent. She found their bags already packed, and she folded her shift and put it in one of the packs before making her way out of the tent herself and to the communal food area.

After eating a quick breakfast and leaving a few coins with Lanaya for her and the other elders in lieu of their contributing to the food for all with hunting, Kai stopped by to say good bye to Nissyan and Aneirin. The old mage hugged her, handing her a sack of biscuits and a bracelet like a cuff in what looked like amber with writing which looked like ancient Elvish, though the design was worn down by the years. She looked to Aneirin, who merely shrugged and shook his head. And as she did not have the time to show it to the elders and make inquiries, Kai contented herself that she could ask when she returned with the refugees.

Once they hit the Imperial Highway, they made good time. They stopped overnight at Lothering which had been slowly rebuilt and repopulated with help from the Greif Argent. Lothering wasn't quite as pretty as a painting yet, but it was certainly better than the diseased and tainted husk it had been when they had passed by it on their travels during the Blight. They stopped again at Redcliffe, staying at the inn named Guilty Pleasures run by that fat coward, Lloyd, before heading out in the morning light once more. They reached the outskirts of a town called Watersedge in the Bannorn of Rainesfere. Kai hoped to get a couple of rooms for the night at The Hunter's Horn, an inn that she and Duncan had stayed at when they had been traveling to Ostagar what felt like three lifetimes ago.

"Remember your cheese dream? With the cheddar mice and the bread cat?" Ali's voice giggled into her ear.

"_Our_ dream as you recall. You were there, even if we both thought it was our own separate dream at the time." She smiled. That was a pleasant memory now, though the circumstances that had lead to that dream had not been so pleasant. She had just traveled with Duncan tormented by horrible nightmares after she had lost her home and her loved ones to Howe's treachery. Kai absently rubbed the leather of her armor covering the scar on her forearm a little above the wrist. While she and Duncan had been guests at The Hunter's Horn, she had tried to kill herself, the trauma of the events at Highever having caught up with her a week after they began their escape. At the time, she had tried to end it all with a broken bottle, suffering through a fit of despair coupled with exhaustion. Now, she was planning to lodge in that very inn once again.

Luckily, the days were longer allowing for extended travel time. Still, twilight was falling fast towards dusk. They were drawing close to the town when she heard the sounds of spells being cast. She was very familiar with that sound, having traveled with two mages for over a year and a half. She gave her companions a quick glance before urging Luna into a gallop in the direction the noises seemed to be coming from.

A small bend opened to a straighter section of road where a man stood surrounded by corpses. In the murky light of the sun settling below the horizon, Kai could see that the body count appeared quite high. From the unique odor wafting on the warm breeze, she could tell some of the recently deceased must be darkspawn. She watched the mage's fingers spark with electricity as it arced into one standing body, a darkspawn hurlock by the look of it. It stood burning like a torch, twitching before falling to the ground as the man spun around to see who was coming up behind him.

As he turned toward them, the light of his spell jumped between his fingers glowing brighter as he began to cast in their direction. His intentions were stopped before they could come to fruition when the man found himself enveloped in the glowing rings of the paralysis spell that Wynne cast on him. Kai couldn't help but laugh as she heard Wynne exclaim in her best acerbic tone, "I think not, young man!"

Kai and her companions dismounted in front of him. She took a closer look at the mage standing frozen but for his eyes which followed her as she approached. She cocked her head to the side while addressing him, "If you promise to be a good boy, I will have my friend remove the spell. Blink once if you understand. Keep in mind that if you lie, I can easily remove your head." She gave him an impish grin and watched his hazel eyes blink at her, "Ah, mean to be nice then? I must say, you don't really play well with others do you?" She laughed as Wynne's spell vanished and she could see the tension of his body relax.

She was pleasantly surprised when he chuckled back at her while blowing on his fingers as if they were hot while shaking his hands. He looked around at the carnage, which included some Templars amongst the evidence of mayhem, "Yes, well...I didn't do it. Well, not all of it anyway. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not terribly broken up about them dying to be perfectly honest. Biff, there, made the funniest gurgle when he went down." Kai watched as he nonchalantly pointed to one of the corpses clad in Templar armor.

Kai heard Zev give a low little chuckle, "So, what name do you go by?"

"You may call me Anders, dear lady. I am a mage," He lowered his head like a mischievous and naughty child, "And sadly, a wanted apostate. We were stopping in the town here on our way to the tower. Just a short rest they said. Until I escaped them by lying about having eaten something that didn't agree with me and needing to use the outdoor privy. The others were about as smart as a bag of rocks, truth be told. My mate Biff there, well he was slightly smarter so he was in charge. And he wasn't the brightest star in the sky despite his rank. But Biff, to his credit, figured out my deceit. Hence he found me outside of town making my escape when these nasty looking fellows decided to join in and a party began. Now they're dead. Such a shame."

"So you escaped Templars only to get jumped by darkspawn?" Kai shook her head.

"What can I say, dear lady? I am so handsome everyone seeks me out, particularly the ladies," he winked at her. The light was rapidly diminishing. Kai laughed, "Look, I have no love of the Templars or the Circle or their rules. And I know what it is to be hunted and wanted."

"Oh, a woman with a checkered past, how...intriguing. My dear lady, you have me captivated." Anders leaned in close and gave her a charming leer at which he found himself with a very sharp dagger point gently resting under his stubbled jaw. His hazel eyes grew wide, and he grinned raising his hands in supplication, "Ah, you are spoken for I see. Well no offense, my elven friend, I don't poach. Well, much anyway." And the mage winked at Zevran with a saucy smile.

Kai snickered, " I also travel with another apostate, and she is proud of it." She waved her hand behind her to where Fergus and Morrigan stood with the Ceffyls. "We would be happy to have you along, if you would like to travel with us. It helps to have numbers against the Templars."

"Safety in numbers? Hm, yes you are probably right." He bowed and then smiled at her and produced two black iron keys that looked familiar from the last time she stayed at the Horn. "I believe, dear lady, we have at least two rooms compliments of the Chantry and the Revered Mother, may a thousand fleas rest in her..."

"Crotch?" Kai burst out laughing when he blushed. "Yes, that old bag and I have had a run in before. I agree with you. Well then, we need only secure a couple more rooms, and a meal for us all. Then you, Anders, may make yourself useful tomorrow."

"I could make myself useful tonight..." Kai laughed when Anders shot Zevran a coy look and raised his eyebrow.

"Don't even consider it, my friend." Zevran smirked as he mounted Rhia. The others all mounted their Ceffyls as well. Anders still stood in middle of the road looking nervously at the horses.

"Don't tell me a mighty mage such as yourself is afraid of a Ceffyl?" Kai inquired sweetly.

"Um, well...Chevals always look at me funny and then dance sideways. They all have it in for me."

"Anders, get on behind Wynne." Kai pointed to the elder mage sitting on Bran, her stallion. "These are Ceffyls, not Chevals. They are smarter, and if we say you are okay well then you will be fine."

"Really? That one? Couldn't I just walk?" Kai sighed and fought the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. Sensing her annoyance, he sighed, "All right, all right."

"Come up here with me, young man." Wynne put out a hand so Anders could swing himself up behind her. Bran stepped sideways just as Anders reached for Wynne's hand.

"See! I told you!" Anders whined. "Why does no one ever believe me?"

Kai looked at the Ceffyls, who had all started whinnying in horse laughter, tossing their heads in horsey glee. Her human companions had joined in. It was all Kai could do to stifle a giggle and sound firm, "All right all of you, enough." Anders tentatively reached for Wynne's hand again, and Bran allowed him to climb up, not without an almost human like snort of derision.

"Oh, I get it! There is some hazing to belong to this merry little band. Well all right, but if I wind up two weeks from now on a ship bound for Rivain in nothing but my smallclothes and a tattoo on my forehead, I'm blaming you, dear lady." His comment had her laughing all the way to the inn.


	89. Chapter 90

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_Well, we are wrapping up the refugee arc, and more adventures await our intrepid Kai and gang._

_Let me apologize again to you all, my lurkers and fans. I am so, so sorry this took so long to get posted. I got heat exhaustion again, twice, which makes me a limp biscuit and not write. But the lawn needs mowing even in Texas heat. And other real life stuff kept delaying me, and I was just having trouble with my brain and this transitional chapter. So I hope you will all forgive me. I will be on vacation for a week, but I am taking my lap top with me, so hopefully I will get some chapters posted, if not on "Soulmates" then "First Cut" and "Whispering Sighs of The Blade". _

_Oh and my spotlight on DreGregoire on and the BioWare Forum, please read his stories. And the spotlight also on SchaerMann30 on and the BioWare forum. They both have wonderful stories to read. _

_Shout outs to those who have put me on author alerts, fav author and to those who put this story on alerts and favs. So to grimmxrabbit, roxfox62, Lady Elle00, eireanestower, xforlackofabetterpennamex, bbqsalmon, Turnstone, DragonWench, dazzleday, RedvilleBlade, EZ-Kzombies, gaybounce, and FionnRose, thank you all so much!_

_And my shout out to my betas: Night Hunter MGS, aka Chainsaw (I will let you all guess at why he is named that), Ladyamesindy who lets me bug her all the time and is a fountain of ideas for her own writing; Violet Theirin my sweet Goldilocks, who tells me if this is just right; Janni my grammar beta, God love her; and Piceron, who has also been reading to help keep me straight. I love you all!_

_And to you my readers, my reviewers, and wonderful lurkers I hold you all in my heart. I am so blessed. Thanks guys, really, just thanks. : )_

_Blessings!_

After some convincing, Kai managed to send both Fergus and Morrigan back to Highever. Fergus, as Teyrn, needed to see to the running of the castle and the town. With her "sister" pregnant, Kai felt protective of the witch. Not that she would admit that, to do so would invite a kick to the teeth. Kai persuaded Morrigan that with her being missing for so long and with what had happened to Oriana and Oren, that her sister needed to be close to Fergus and reassure her brother. Luckily for Kai, Morrigan seemed to accept this explanation and left with Fergus for Highever with no argument whatsoever. Kai breathed a sigh of relief.

Anders was proving to be a charming, flirty, and amusing addition to their party. His winning ways were decidedly helpful in reassuring the refugees if they began balking at moving their homes yet again or worse moving their homes again for a mobile one that would not stay in one place for long. It also helped that Jarren and Shale along with Sten met them in Watersedge with a group of the soldiers and their families. The three were in charge of collecting the families from the northern Bannorn, including Rainesfere and the farmsteads from Highever and West Hill.

Since they were traveling with such large and noticeable companions, they decided to move at night. This made it hard on the children, but Kai felt it necessary to ensure they didn't draw any unnecessary attention. It also meant that they would be required to gather the groups in stages. Jarren, Sten, and Shale picked up the small single families who were staying on the smaller farmholds. So far, they had collected three families. Kai opted to take only a quarter of the families from Watersedge at this time.

During their last trip to collect the remaining families, Kai received news from Violet, one of her elven Scath in the royal palace in Denerim, via the procul globe. Vi had discovered something interesting that had Anora abuzz with anger. Something was going on in the town of Gwaren, and Anora was no longer able to control it.It started when regular reports from the men Anora had sent in after Kai and her Scath had emptied the town ceased to come to the palace. Anora assigned soldiers to travel to the town, and they were not heard from again. Another group was dispatched, and again, no word returned to the palace regarding the status of the town or the men who had gone before. Anora had been fit to be tied, so Vi reported. The queen had been in such a state that she had thrown a tantrum the likes of which had only been seen after the Tevinters had been stopped at Gwaren the first time. Anora, according to Vi, was blaming the Silver Griffon for this mysterious happenstance.

As Kai and her allies were all the "Griffon", she knew they were not involved in Anora's discomfort. But that led to a curious and more unsettling question. What exactly was happening at Gwaren? The news from Vi including an interesting tidbit. Apparently Anora was concerned with papers linking her to the Tevinters and the logging operation. Kai figured if the queen was so concerned with evidence of her selling off of a part of Ferelden, then her support amongst the nobles must be shaky indeed. Kai made a mental note to check with Eamon and Teagan about possible new allies amongst the nobles.

After a brief stop with the Dalish to drop off the last group of refugees, Kai was rewarded with a visit from Fiona and the twins. The mage brought the babies, knowing that they would be safe with the Dalish, to give Kai and Zev some time with them. Fiona had helped organize and gather some of the families to travel to the forest, as well as integrate the families into their new temporary clans.

Kai thought her heart would burst from happiness at seeing Fi and Duncan again. Fiona set them up in a tent and despite being away for over a week they burbled, giggled and chirped, happy little grins brightening their faces. Kai snatched one up and then the other planting kisses on their round little cheeks, not minding the excessive drooling that Fiona explained was a result of the twins beginning to teethe. Zevran laughed as Fi busily gnawed on the leather vambrace covering his arm, "So I see. Mi regalo here is intent on using me as a Mabari would a bone." Kai laughed as he raised the infant up and kissed the curls covering her little head causing Fi to squeal with delight and break off her chewing.

Kai was busy kissing Duncan's cheek while stroking her daughter's soft curls when she noticed the direction of Zev's gaze. Fiona must have noticed too, as she grabbed what Zev had been looking at and brought it forward, placing it on the bed between Zev and Kai. It was a small painting of Kai, Zev and Ali. Kai and Zev sat side by side slightly apart holding hands. Alistair stood behind them his hand on Kai's shoulder while her other hand covered his. The images had her gasping in amazement. They were so realistic, as if the people in the painting might start breathing and talking. "Who, how...?" Kai was at a loss for words.

"Sten." Fiona smiled and placed a hand on Zev's shoulder. "Sten told me that since you two were off saving the world and away from the twins, they are starting to make word sounds, one of which sounds somewhat like 'da'. This one in particular has been doing it," Fiona tickled Fi's little feet. "He felt that they needed something that reminded them of you and Zev and something to let them know who Alistair was. At least as he explained it to me. But I really think Sten was worried that they were calling _him_ 'daddy'. He painted that in two days, from memory. He has been sitting with the twins showing them the painting and naming Alistair and Zev both as 'da'." Fiona laughed.

Kai was struck dumb in amazement. Her giant, stoic, Qunari friend never stopped surprising her. Of course if she asked him about such a sentimental gift, he would no doubt tell her it was only logical that the twins learn who their father figures were to help them learn their place according to the Qun.

"Aw, that was so nice of Sten. He memorized how we all look? Cree-eepy." Alistair's voice sounded in her ear. She gave him a mental smirk.

Kai snuck a look at Zev, wondering how he felt about the D-word being used in reference to himself. She watched him stroke the surface of the painting before picking it up and holding it for Fi to look at. Fi looked at the painting and with a fat little hand reached out to pat it with her palm saying, "Da." He grinned and kissed the babe's curly head.

They spent as much time playing with the twins as they could. Fiona arranged for them to take supper in their tent. They fed the twins and themselves, bathed and went to bed.

The morning came too soon for Kai's liking. Morning meant leaving her babies behind; the mystery of Gwaren would not wait. She cuddled them, breathing in their sweet baby scent before gathering a few of her Scath who had arrived with their refugees. She left Sten and Shale behind in camp to wait for their return.

They traveled along the logging road that the Tevinters had made to transport logs to Gwaren. It was already becoming overgrown with tall grasses and some small tree seedlings. On foot the grasses would have made walking a tricky proposition, tangling around leather boots. The Ceffyls had no trouble navigating the lengthy blades.

When they drew close enough to see the town, Kai stopped and had the group dismount. She planned on sneaking into Gwaren herself to scout the town. That was dismissed by Jarren, her Scath, and Zevran. Their blatant disregard for her orders in this matter led her to wonder who was really the leader in their little ragtag band. It was Zev and Jarren who crouched in the tall grass and crept towards the town. While Kai waited, she tried to assess the town from where they stood. She saw no smoke from the chimneys, nor did she hear any of the sounds that would normally be associated with human habitation.

Zev and Jarren were gone long enough that Kai began pacing, imagining the worst. About the time she decided to forget Zevran's admonishment for her to stay away, she saw him and Jarren returning, walking through the open grass without stealth. The sight of them was very welcome indeed, but their faces were grim. Kai felt her stomach do a slow roll while shivers snaked along her skin. This was not going to be good.

"Kaidana, you will need to see for yourself," was all that Zev would say. _Oh sweet Maker! w_as the only thought that would come to mind.

Kai mounted Luna and they made their way to the town. It was worse than even she could have imagined. She smelled and heard it before she saw it. Clouds of black flies, so many the air was humming with them. The caws of crows, the rasping calls of ravens and the growling of dogs pressed on her ears as the overwhelming odor assaulted her nose. There were bodies everywhere, mostly human. There were other bodies. Bodies the scavengers were not touching. Darkspawn bodies.

However, humans and the few elven servants they had seen made up most of the body count. Kai tried to cover her mouth and nose with her hand, but the smell seemed to permeate everything. There was also the occasional "whoomph" noise that came from around them in different directions. It became apparent what that noise was, when a bloated pale corpse down the road from them burst.

Once the emotional part of her brain had finally become numb to the horrors of so much death surrounding her, the logical part began to gather information and process it. The conclusion it came to was all the more frighting – this was no mindless raid by darkspawn. This had all the markings of a deliberate, coordinated attack, strategically planned and executed with care and forethought. What sent her mind reeling even more given the placement of the bodies and the fact that they were all armored and armed was the realization that the darkspawn had attacked during the day when the most soldiers would have been present, when one group was relieving the other from duty.

It was Zev's voice that broke through her churning thoughts, "What is it that you see, Kai?"

"I see the darkspawn testing their abilities and strategies against a large group of trained Ferelden soldiers." She grimaced at him. "I see intelligence behind this. Deliberation, intent, coordination. This is not good, Zev. The Blight is supposedly over, yet I have talking darkspawn and now this. And something else that worries me. The doorways to the Deep Roads leading to Gwaren were sealed by the dwarves back when Maric asked King Endrin Aeducan to do so. If the darkspawn were here, they have opened that doorway."

They finished their inspection of the carnage, and Kai opted for them to go around the outskirts of Gwaren rather than back through. They skirted the treeline of the forest surrounding the town and heard moaning off in the underbrush. They dismounted and searched the undergrowth. It was Jarren who raised the hue and a cry alerting them he had discovered the source of the noise. When Kai had fought her way through the tangling barriers of foliage, she found Jarren holding up a bloodied and wounded dwarf. Gore covered him, and it was hard to tell if the blood came from his wounds or the others they had encountered. He was liberally smeared with darkspawn blood as well. Jarren lifted a water skin to the man's bruised and cracked lips.

When the dwarf's eyes opened, Kai shuddered. The poor sod was tainted and was well on his way to becoming a ghoul. Questioning him was long and arduous with their conversation twisting on itself like a labyrinth. In the end, she did as she had done for others and stuck a dagger in the man's chest. What little information they were able to gather had less to do with the invasion of darkspawn (the man had followed them to the surface on their raid) and everything to do with the dwarven kingdom in Ferelden. Something was rotten in the state of Orzammar. Jarren looked at Kai, "You know what this means, Scathach?"

Kai sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "It means we go to Orzammar."


	90. Chapter 91

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_Something is rotten in the state of Orzammar! Kai and gang will have to travel to the dwarven capital and maybe to the Deep Roads themselves. Hope you enjoy the next story arc. _

_Apologies once more for the delay. I am trying to get into a better groove of writing, but RL keeps thwarting me. I am so sorry. I am working on it, so I can get more out for you all to read. Thanks for bearing with me. I have the best fans, so I want the best for you._

_Speaking of fans...I am blowing kisses to: **gimmixrabbit, roxfox62, Lady Elle00, eireanestower, bbqsalmon, Turnstone, Dragon Wench, dazzleday, EZ-Kzombies, gaybounce, rianthepinkie, Akki May, Grannaah, Deeca, Blightsworn, Elvish Penguin, Mc Neko, dyslecksec, Alan Mc, riversend, Eddings Humour, RiverdanceKat09, The-Enduring-Fox, DreGregoire, TMcGeeSDCA, Cheerfully Shameless, wisecracknmama, Piceron**. Thank you all so much for the story alerts, story favs, author alerts, and author favs. I get such a thrill when I see them. : )_

_And my shout out to my betas; **Night Hunter MGS **(my ass kicker general, and the man who helped me hammer out the story arc for Orzammar. Let's face it he is the Brain to my Pinky); **Ladyamesindy** who helps rein me in, and helps me unblock when I get stuck; **Violet Theirin** who is my Goldilocks; **Piceron** who reads, fixes things, and who like me, loves to kiss soft noses; and Janni, that blessed saint who keeps my grammar from being horrendous._

_And my love and appreciation to all of you, my lurkers, readers, and reviewers. I really do have the best fans in all of the ff community. I adore writing to entertain you all. It is so exciting to keep writing, because of you. Remember, ideas are welcome! I love to give personal shout outs for ideas directly from PMs or from your reviews. *HUGS*_

_Blessings!_

Kai had seen maps of the area when they had come on their mission to stop the Tevinter from cutting down the forest. It was a quick trip back to the mayor's manor to get maps that would allow Kai and her group to find the entrance to the Deep Roads near Gwaren. Kai wanted to put the dwarf's body back to the stone, as their tradition dictated. The man had risked his life to come to the surface. It was the very least she felt she could do.

Zev had informed her that the reason that he and Jarren had taken so long, was due to the difficulty of navigating the carnage to get the papers at the mayor's house. Fortunately, the darkspawn were not interested in them, and the intel on where the papers were kept had been correct, or it might have taken longer, if at all. As Zev and Jarren had made their way before, it took less time on the second go around, having the path paved already.

They made a makeshift stretcher with a ladder they found and carried the body of the dwarf the surprisingly short distance to the opening of the Deep Roads. As Kai was no longer able to sense the darkspawn, they took things slowly, leaving the man's body at the entrance and with makeshift torches, inching into the tunnel with weapons drawn.

When they determined that the darkspawn weren't in residence, they fetched the body and placed it gently a way into the tunnel. A couple of hours later, and some hauling of rocks, they covered the dwarf, consigning him to the Stone. Kai made a silent vow to find the man's family and get them word where he was. It would allow them to take him back to Orzammar if they wanted.

As for the town itself, Kai wanted it burned, first out of respect for the Ferelden men and women who had died there, and second for the taint from the darkspawn. While she hated destroying a town when the Orlesians themselves had failed to do so, it was necessary. And once Anora was off the throne, it could always be rebuilt. Or so Kai hoped, _if _she could get Anora off the throne.

They made their way back to the Dalish camp arriving late in the evening tired, hungry, and filthy. As they were walking back from leaving the ceffyls with the halla keeper, a familiar voice had Kai looking up even in her exhausted state. "By the stone, Warden, you smell like a privy in the heat of a sunny day, and you look like something that fell out of the backside of a bronto."

Kai grinned at Oghren. She noticed that his beard was growing in again. Zev raised an eyebrow at their short and slightly more furry companion, "So, my drunken friend, I see that you are in one piece. And since your voice is not higher, Felsi must have left you your manhood, despite what you did to her, no?"

"Yeah, well ya sissified pointy-eared freak, I wonder if you even have man parts." This statement was punctuated by a long belch and a swipe of one hairy arm across Oghren's mouth.

"But my dear Oghren, I have offered to show you my 'man parts' as you so delicately call them many times in the past. The offer still stands..."

"Bah! Stay away from me ya pansy." Oghren blushed as red as his hair before mumbling under his breath, "Sodding elf."

Zev threw back his head and laughed before clapping Oghren on the shoulder and walking with him towards the tents.

After food and baths, and not in that order, Kai handed off Anora's papers to Naseel. With the hand-off she gave orders for the scath who would be staying behind to burn Gwaren, with strict orders to make sure the flames did not jump to the forest and to stay down wind lest they get tainted.

She and Zev spent the rest of the evening playing with the twins. Who knew how long it would be before she would get to see them again?

The next morning they stocked up on supplies to take with them on their trip to Orzammar. In her head she compiled a list of those to take with her. Oghren seemed the obvious choice, as Orzammar was his home once. And could still be again with Behlen's rule and the change in those who lived topside now allowed to return. Not that she thought he would. Felsi and her mother were happy to live outside of Orzammar; and given Felsi's current state...well she doubted Oghren would leave her (no matter how hard he took the news to begin with). That, and Oghren had confessed to her during the Blight that topside had so much more alcohol for the tasting, and he had no desire to miss even one to go back to drinking mostly lichen ale and the stone of home.

Along with Oghren Kai intended to take Shale. Back when they had fought the Blight, Kai had taken Shale to find the golem's identity in the Deep Roads. Shale was both familiar with Orzammar and the Deep Roads themselves. And she was a formidable warrior, almost an army unto herself. She figured she might need that raw power if the Deep Roads were harboring thinking darkspawn these days.

And even more raw power could be added their group with Sten; Wynne for healing, and a group of her scath: Jarren and Rajeed, along with Tam and Hugh. Kai also intended to extend an invitation to Gnat as she and Rajeed had proven to be a formidable team on the Tevinter ship against the mage. Zev would never stay behind, so his presence was a forgone conclusion.

Of course Naseel argued that Kai should take her, but Kai firmly and clearly outlined why her second in the scath needed to stay behind; if anything happened to her, Naseel could continue to lead the scath, and continue the work of the Grief Argent. Kai also expected her to finish up getting the elves and the humans integrated and protected until they could separate and return to their usual travel routes in the Brecillian Forest. Kai was counting on both Naseel and Zaeed to carry this out and to make sure her scath continued the work of the Silver Griffon and to work on unseating Anora. Naseel had stiffly nodded her head and reluctantly agreed.

Kai gathered those she wished to travel with her around one of the large campfires in camp, along with the rest of her scath, so that she could tell them what had happened at Gwaren, adn what they had found there, aside from Anora's papers. She also inform them of her plans and hand out the assignments Naseel and she had collaborated on.

While she was speaking with the group, Kai noticed that Anders wandered up to the fire to stand next to Wynne. He was crunching on an apple and he flashed her a wicked grin when he caught her looking in his direction. She merely rolled her eyes and continued.

Kai described what they had found at Gwaren, which garnered uncomfortable looks in regards to the carnage. Her companions from the Blight understood the implications in ways her scath could not. "This is...disturbing, Kadan." Sten's mouth crimped at the corners.

"Disturbing, that is an understatement. Leave it to the sodding giant to point out the bleedin' obvious!" Oghren rolled his eyes. "Bad enough when they are dumb as a stump, or in the case of a Blight, slightly smarter than a nug; but from what you say, Warden, this is much worse. First that talking one you met up with, now signs of deliberate attacks testing strategy." Oghren walked over and clapped Kai on the shoulder, almost toppling her, "If that wasn't bad enough, you tell us that some rotting blighter of a wounded dwarf says something's goin' on in Orzammar." Oghren shook his head before taking a deep swig on his beard flask. Well, Warden, I have to say, bein' around you certainly ain't boring, heh, heh, heh."

"You can certainly say that again." Wynne crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at her. "So, young woman, we are to go to Orzammar once again?" Kai nodded. "Hmm, the last time you were there you caused quite a stir _and_ oversaw a political insurrection. Who knows what will happen this time."

"Hey! That wasn't my fault!" Kai used her mock insulted voice.

"Hm, you say that a lot you know." Alistair's voice teased in her ear. "Trouble always seems to know right where you are." She could hear the grin.

"Ha, very ha! Smart alec." Kai gave him a mental nose wrinkle.

"Just be very careful, my love. I don't like what that dwarf told you, or rather the impression he gave you, since he was slipping into insanity."

She could feel his worry, "I know, beloved, but you know I..."

"Have no choice...yes, I know. You say that a lot too." He chuckled into her ear, making her smile.

It was Shale's voice that broke into her conversation with Ali, "So it has decided we are to go to Orzammar once again?" Kai grinned at the golem and nodded. Shale's rocky chest rose in a sigh. "Back to the city of short smelly squishy creatures that leave their vomit where I step in it."

A wave of chuckles broke out amongst the group. Kai had to bite her lip to stop her own chortles, "Well think of it this way Shale, there aren't any birds underground."

"Unless you bring that pigeon you gave her for Satinalia...heh heh." Oghren grinned and tilted the beard flask back once more.

"Is it the shaven dwarf's wish to die? I could squish its head like a lemon if that is its desire. Squi-isssh." Shale's glowing eyes glared at Oghren who shrugged.

Kai broke in before Oghren could rejoinder, "So we leave tomorrow. Pack, and be ready to leave when the sun rises."

The group began to disperse, Kai turned to Zev and a voice called out behind her, "Seems to me you are forgetting someone, dove."

Kai looked behind her to see Anders throwing his apple core to the side. "Have I now? And I don't suppose that someone would be you, now would it, _dove_?"

The mage grinned at her. "Well considering the delectable witch you had with you before is off with your brother...seems to me you could use a back up who can shoot lightening at fools. Or in this case darkspawn. Am I correct? And I am proficient at healing which is always a bonus." He is smile became broader as he walked towards her with a raised eyebrow. "And as an added bonus, dear lady, I am easy on the eyes, I am entertaining, and I can even whip up a decent meal while traveling." He stood close and leaned in. "And should you find your bedroll a little chilly of an evening..."

Kai watched as the tip of a dagger appeared beneath Anders' chin. "I don't believe that part of your services will be necessary as her bedroll will hardly be...chilly, no?"

Zev grinned at Anders who returned the smile and backed away. "Yes, I see your...point, my friend. But my other talents are still on the table..."

Kai couldn't help but laugh and clap a hand on Anders' muscled shoulder, "Be packed and ready with the others. We head to Orzammar. "


	91. Chapter 92

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_Onwards and upwards, and then eventually downwards into Orzammar. Thank you all for sticking with me and reading! : )_

_My humble appreciation to you all who put this author on favs and alerts; and put this story on favs and alerts. My heart goes pitty pat every time I get an email. **Aslarn, Crazy4DA, Arcturas B, Jedi Padme, roxfox62, GriffinGuts, LadyoftheDrow, TMcGeeSDCA, Tebn**, and **EroSlackerMicha** thank you all so much!_

_To my betas, goes my love, admiration (for their own brilliant writing), and gratitude. They put up with my constant questions, reading things over, and keeping me in check so this (hopefully) is an entertaining read for you. So to Night Hunter MGS, Ladyamesindy, Violet Theirin, Piceron, and Jannifer; I love you guys. Please check out their stories!_

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_Blessings!_

Kai and her group made their way at first light. As Shale and Sten did not ride; and Oghren only rode when seated in front of someone else, the trip took longer than it would have had Kai chosen other companions. To her mind, the delay was worth the time spent, and it gave Anders a chance to learn to ride. Not necessarily well, but he did manage to stay on the ceffyl provided for him...after a fashion.

After weighing the dangers of recognition, (less likely now that Leliana's talents as a bard, had provided Kai with a thick powder to cover the tattoos on her face while at the Dalish camp. Leliana being Keiron's back up had returned to Denerim with the promise that once she saw to Keiron, she would meet up with them in Orzammar) and being able to travel more quickly by way of the Imperial Highway, Kai opted for the road. Their story, should they need one, would be that of a group of strangers traveling together for safety to various places in Ferelden.

Sten and the scath were a group of soldiers for hire so they remained in their armor with their weapons visible at all times. The rest were in civilian clothes with weapons hidden about their persons, or in the case of the mages their usual robes. Oghren wore his ugly hat, Kai suspected the dwarf of really loving the ostentatious straw monstrosity. The control rod for his "pet" golem clutched in one hand, the beard flask in the other. Shale played her part well, if not with a bit of sighing, or punching one stone fist into a stone hand upon occasion when Oghren would "order" her to do something under the pretense of "practicing."

Kai and Zevran were kitted out as a farmholder and her servant making their way to Rainesfere to trade for apple tree saplings to start an orchard at the farmstead, with Argus the family pet in tow. Wynne and Anders were mages on their way to Orzammar to negotiate more lyrium shipments on behalf of the Tower.

Before entering Gherlen's pass heading towards Orzammar, they made a brief stop in Rainesfere at Watersedge. Kai and Zevran would changes disguises and leave the farmholder and servant there. They would also be leaving the Ceffyls boarded at the stable there until Kai's scath, on their way back to Highever picked them up to return them to her childhood home and until such time as Kai sent word by procul globe that their mission (whatever that was going to be) was complete.

They separated into their groups, staggering their leaving from Watersedge with the agreement to meet in the pass at the first dwarven statue along the route.

Oghren and Shale left first, Oghren's legs being shorter and all. Sten and the scath left hours later. Kai, Zevran, Anders, and Wynne all stayed overnight at the _Hunter's Horn, _leaving the next day.

Wynne and Anders left at dawn, with much grumbling by Anders**,** and many acerbic comments by Wynne at his expense. They sat together at breakfast acting very much like companions who had met on the road. With the meal finished Wynne and Anders departed leaving Kai, Zevran, and Argus sitting at the table sipping breakfast tea before they made their way to the bedroom and gather their things.

Kai had, along with her companions, spent the night before listening in to conversations around the common room during the inn's evening meal. While many conversations revolved around farming or fishing issues, it was the dwarven and human merchant conversations that had borne the most fruit. The whispers of something being amiss echoed around the room according to her companions who had sat at various tables around the room. Rumors of foreign "cloud heads" walking in Orzammar and the topside marketplace, even the very palace itself. And the king, who, after his crowning walked amongst them as a "man of the people", had taken to sequestering himself in the palace, accepting no visitors except those strange foreigners. Then there was the group of dwarven engineers who had gone into the Deep Roads with these sun-touched interlopers and they hadn't been seen since. The dark and sordid thread to all the murmurings which caught Kai's attention even more...many of the strangers appeared to be mages.

It wasn't so much the fact that mages were involved (which was disturbing enough) but that the magic immune, and normally stoic (or drunken), dwarves's demeanors and voices held something Kai had never heard before, not even during the Blight...fear. They had been fighting darkspawn for centuries, but this was something they did not know how to fight as they didn't know what they were supposed to be fighting. And neither did she but she intended to find out.

She and Zev grabbed their packs, giving the room a look over before slipping out and securing the door. Kai found herself absent-mindedly rubbing the scar on her wrist that made its way partly up the forearm where the glass shard she had used, oh so long ago in this very room, sliced the flesh creating the scar in her grief after the fall of Highever. Zevran caught her motion and gently took the marred wrist, putting it to his lips before giving her a loving smile and moving those lips to cover hers. "Shall we, mi amada?" Kai nodded and they walked down the hallway, Argus following behind them.

Walking back, they made their way to the common room and the bar, where Basil, owner of the _Horn _(well part owner, his wife Prunella being the not so silent partner) stood in his usual place behind the thick, scarred, oaken counter. Even after three years, going on four, he was still a thin, tall bean pole of a man. His thin brunette hair had receded more, like the tide going out on the ocean; but he looked the same, including the harried expression he always seemed to wear.

"BAS-SIL!" A sharp female voice screeched from behind the bar coming from the direction of the kitchen. The grating sound of the vocalizations only made his beset upon look understandable. He flashed an apologetic simpering smile at Kai and Zev before ducking into the kitchen. There was the sound of raised voices, one like fingernails on slate.

"She is quite the...prize, no?" Zev grinned, cocking his head in the direction of the doorway Basil had walked through.

"Oh yes, and she has only improved with age. Though I am sure that the barkeep would be happy to let you have her, _prize _as you call her, that she is." Kai smiled sweetly, while raising an eyebrow.

Louder shouting came from the kitchen before a thin, frizzy brown haired woman sailed out from behind the bar and started making her way around the tables where guests were seated chatting with them. Zevran's amber eyes followed the innkeeper for a moment before turning back to Kai. He started to say something but was interrupted by a horrid, loud, and repetitive noise that made everyone in the common room wince. Kai barely kept herself from covering her ears with her hands. "Ah, my lovely wife with a laugh like a bull seal in the rutting season." Basil stood behind them, once again in position at the bar. "I do apologize. Are you ready to turn in the key?"

Kai suppressed a chuckle as Zevran slapped the key down on the counter with lightening fast speed as Prunella's guffaw behind him turned into a languid, "Oh, I kno-ow!" The end of her words going up a decibel.

"And I have to live with that." the barkeep intoned dryly out of the corner of his mouth while rolling his eyes.

"Yes, well, good luck my friend." Zevran cast one more look behind him at Prunella.

"Hah! Luck, if I had any luck at all, I would have stayed single." When his wife turned her gorgon's gaze their way, he plastered on his simpering smile, while waving one hand at his wife, "Hello, dearest!" His voice deceptively chipper. Kai, with her fingers, covered her curving lips to seal in the laugh threatening to bubble out of her throat.

Staying true to their cover story, Kai asked for directions to the Appleford Family Orchards in Rainesfere, before leaving the inn and making their way back to the Imperial Highway. Walking along the raised white granite stone road reminded Kai of her travels with not only her companions during the Blight, but with Duncan as they had traveled on their way to Orzammar at the time.

It struck her as their footsteps echoed on the stones of the road, that pretending to be apple merchants and setting up a a stall outside Orzammar might be a good way to test the waters before entering the city itself. It would hold up their meeting with the others, but she felt it worth the minor delay it would cause.

After a brief discussion with Zev and Argus on the matter, she relayed her intentions via the procul globe that Rajed carried. She knew that between Rajed and Gnat the others would be informed. And they continued on their way to the apple farm.

As it turned out, the Appleford orchard could be reached using Gherlen's pass. A few miles in the pass had a stone bridge over a river that flowed into Lake Calenhad. Leaving the pass and following the river lead to a beautiful plot of land nestled in a valley at the foothills of the Frostback Mountains. The view was breath taking with the green grass dotted with wildflowers, like jeweled beads on a silken blanket. A sturdy wooden and stone house nestled in its verdant lawn, while rows upon rows of rustling apple trees stretched out behind it. There were various small wooden huts interspersed amongst the trees. And one large stone and wooden barn sat a little to the left and behind the house. With the Frostback Mountains as a backdrop and the crystal clear waters of the river running through it... "Appleford, pretty as a painting?" Ali's voice teased in her ear. _Like Lothering?_ _Ha, very ha! But also very true, mi gra_. Kai gave him a mental smile.

The track they followed from the pass forked off to the orchard, while the other leg led right the to the doorway of the home. Smoked came from the chimney and a long haired, sharp nosed dog lay sleeping in the dirt by the door. The dog, some mix of unknown parentage, raised its head at their approach and immediately rose to stand by the door barking. As it didn't growl, snarl, or raise its hackles, Kai (and Argus) took it as sounding the alert that someone approached rather than open aggression.

The heavy wooden door opened and a woman in her thirties, opened the door. Her long blond hair was pulled back from her face leaving the rest to fall in cascading waves down to her rounded pregnant belly. She wiped her flour covered hands on her apron while keeping an eye on them and speaking to the dog out of the side of her mouth.

The dog immediately ceased its barking, looking at its mistress and with wag of a fluffy tail it lay back down next to the door. The woman gave the dog praise before turning her smiling face towards them and walking forward. "Hail, and welcome to Appleford orchards! I am Ciere Appleford and I would offer to shake hands, but as you can see I have them in a bit of a mess at the moment. How may I assist? We have apple bread, apple pies, spiced apple cakes, and apple scones which I and my mother make. Then we have hard and soft ciders, Apple Jack, and apple mead which my husband and our children make. And of course we have apples for sale."

Kai smiled back, "Hail, I am Rhedyn. I am here with my servant..."

"Taliesin, or Tal for short, and this is her dog Rabbit." Zev waved a hand at Argus. "I promise Rabbit will behave with your dog."

Ciere nodded and smiled at both Zev and Argus, "He is a handsome mabari. May I offer you some refreshment? Cider perhaps?" She motioned them to a wooden table set by the river near the first row of trees. "Please, have a seat and I will be right back."

They walked across the soft grass and sat down on the dark wooden benches in the dappled light of the apple trees, while Argus lay down in the grass with a grunt of expelled air. "Taliesin for your cover name Zev? Really?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at him.

Zevran grinned, "Well, I figured he could serve a purpose in death, no? And you did ask me to create a name at the last moment without warning, mi cielo. Oh excuse me, _Rhedyn_."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I thought it might be best if we don't reveal our true names. Not at least until we get a feel for how they feel about what is going on with Anora. I'm hoping we may hear from them more about the dwarves since they live closer to Orzammar."

"A very cunning idea." He grinned at her, his hand reaching across the table to cover hers briefly as Ciere exited the house with a tray laden with a pitcher, mugs, and a plate of what looked like slices of pie, with steam rising from them.

When she set the tray down, Kai noticed a smaller pitcher of cream, the contents of which, Ciere applied to the slices of pie before she set them before Kai and Zev. She handed them forks made of wood and set the mugs down, pouring what looked like cider into their depths. "There we are. Now, are you here to harvest apples? We charge five silvers a peck, or twenty silver for four pecks which equals a bushel. You pay less if you gather more."

"We do wish to pick apples." Kai opened the money pouch and placed forty-two silver on the table, two for the pie and ciders, and the rest for two bushels.

Ciere took the money with a smile and a nod, "Well then, when you have finished your pie I will take you out to the orchards where my husband the workers and our children are."

They sat in companionable silence while Kai and Zev finished up the pie washing it down with the cider. Ciere, when they were finished, walked them to the barn where she grabbed empty burlap sacks piling them into a wooden wheelbarrow, motioning them to follow her. She led them down a thin dirt track made by wagon wheels that went between the trees. She stopped when they reached a section of the orchard with a wooden wagon harnessed to two big Bay colored work horses who stood dozing in the shade. They could hear the cheerful calls and conversation of people as they stood on ladders or used hooks on long sticks to reach apples. Children, both elven and human grabbed the fruit as it fell to the ground gathering it into baskets which they placed into the back of the wagon when full, grabbing an empty basket on the way back.

Ciere called to one man on a ladder, who quickly climbed down to greet her with a sound kiss and a hand on her rounded belly. "I hope that is her husband, or her spouse is going to be sorely surprised." Zev's voice teased.

Kai grinned at him as Ciere turned towards them and blushing, introduced her husband, Branan. Kai felt like a fist had hit her in the guts. She recognized that name, "Branan?" The man smiled and nodded. "You wouldn't happen to be named for a relative, say a grandfather, by any chance?"

Kai watched both Ciere's and his faces adopt a confused look. "My husband was named for his grandfather, who stood up to the Orlesians when they first came to take over Ferelden. Why do you ask?" Ciere wrapped her arm around her husband's waist.

"I found a note, from a Branan who hailed from Rainesfere. He grew apples. It said he refused to swear fealty and so they burned the trees and his home." Kai waved an hand to encompass the trees and the house and barn no longer visible from their vantage point.

"Aye, my grandfather refused and those dogs burned our trees and our ancestral home." Branan hugged his wife to his side, "When they came again, still he refused. They clapped him in irons and took him away, never to be seen again. But not all of the trees that were burned died. Those that didn't, well my grandmother, heavily pregnant with my da at the time, grafted those that lived and rebuilt. The Orlesians must have thought they destroyed this place as they never returned. We have a tombstone for him, just over there at the edge of the orchard, my grandmother and father are buried there as well." Branan raised his eyebrows at Kai, "May I ask, where did you find his note?"

Kai gave an apologetic smile, "I found the note in the basement of the castle of Redcliffe. The note also said that I should go to Rainesfere and say his name, tell his family even if you were all gone from this place, that he had died and you would hear. I like to think that he knows from the Fade that you all prosper now."

Branan looked to his wife and smiled at her before turning that grin on Kai. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. If you can call what we are doing is prospering, it would seem that we are suffering under a similar, if not worse circumstance with our current Queen."

"Husband!" Ciere's face took on a look of panic. "My husband doesn't mean that."

"I certainly do! If my grandfather was willing to die for Ferelden, then can I do less? Even if it is one of our own who is the enemy now?" Branan shook his head at his wife. "If these people are spies for that crazed regent who sits on a throne she should not have been given, well then, so be it. But I will speak my mind, Anora is insane and she would be the ruin of our country if not for the Silver Griffin."

Ciere's face paled, "You speak of this Griffin fellow, but I am frightened husband. People who speak against Anora, or in praise of this Griffin, disappear the way your grandfather did never to be seen again. I have no wish to re-enact family history."

"Now my beloved, you have not traveled with me since the babe has grown larger. I hear what you do not about the Silver Griffin. From Finian at _The Spoiled Princess,_ to Basil at the _Hunter's Horn_; all of them speak of the work being done to save our country while that petty little tyrant continues to ignore and punish the people of Ferelden. And now the dwarves are beset with mysterious troubles." Branan ran a hand through his hair. "We must all do what we can, the Griffin should not do it alone, not even the Hero of Ferelden saved us by herself. We can do no less for our latest hero."

"Well, mi quierda, I think you have some of the answers you sought, no?" Zevran cocked an eyebrow at Kai.

"So it would seem." Kai grinned at him before taking a pewter medallion out of her pouch and flipping it to Branan who reached out and caught it mid-air. She watched his eyes get wide as he looked at one side then the other of the embossed metal disc.

He handed it to Ciere who ran her fingers on one side then the other before handing it back to him. He held it up with the griffin side facing Kai and Zev. "You know the Griffin then? You work for him?"

"You could say that." Kai smiled.

"And this, what does this mean?" Branan flipped the medallion over to show the three crescent moons of the Scath.

"That is the symbol for a special group of people who help the Griffin in a more, 'official' capacity, shall we say?" Zevran winked at Branan.

Branan grinned. "I have heard whispers of a group of people, like a flock of ravens that took out a group of Tevinter sneak thieves who came to cut down the forest and disappeared into the mist. Or when I was delivering to Cyril at _The Gnawed Noble_ there was talk of a group of shades that made a whole contingent of the city guard to vanish as if they never existed. Monies show up in towns for repairs, or aid. Trade routes have been re-established, rebuilding of towns, like Lothering, have been aided. And it has all been done by this Griffin and his shadows that accomplish what Anora should and is not."

"Their reputation precedes them. They gather information, and protect, when needed. And my friend and I are here because of that information. A dying dwarf gave information that something was going on in Orzammar. Unfortunately, he was delirious and the information was sketchy. We are hoping to pose as merchants and sell apples in the market outside of Orzammar before venturing into the city itself." Kai wave a hand at the apples that sat red and bright in their wooden baskets.

"Well, your timing is impeccable my friend. I believe we can help you with your mission. We were filling the wagon to do just that, and we have a stall there." Branan grinned, "My grandmother always said be careful what you ask the Maker for, you might just get it. Well, I have been wanting to help the Griffin and my country, and it looks as though the Maker has answered my prayers."


	92. Chapter 93

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So Kai has the handsome and roguish Anders along for the ride. And who is Anders without his special friend? I we get to meet a certain someone in this chapter. I hope you enjoy. : D_

_Sorry about the delay, I know I keep saying that; but I really do mean it. My work has been super busy and hell on earth. I get so tired, by the time I get home I have no energy. I hope I am not letting you down to terribly my dear fans. I really hate being so slow._

_And my thanks to those of you who put this on alerts, and favs and reviewed too! So to **CheerfullyShameless, Aslarn, Crazy4DA, Arcturas, Jedi Padme, roxfox62, Griffin Guts, LadyoftheDrow, Tebn, EroSlackerMicah, Grannaah, fussycat, Sasuke's Kanojo, leimana, jenncgf, JackOfBladesX**, and **runawayKarma**; thank you all so much! _

_A very special, and heartfelt thanks to some special ladies most of whom are fantastic authors in their own right, only a few don't write; but what they are, everyone of them, are wonderful supportive, lovely people. They keep me from tearing my hair out, and helped me find the dog convo in Denerim when I was about to lose hope of fining it on Youtube. To the wondeful ladies of twitter, FFnet, and the BSN: **jenncgf, Milia Timmain, MireliAmbar, Ladyamesindy, Violet Theirin, Piceron, MelRedux, Freckles04, riathepinkie, Kryyptehk, NuitNuit, yukidama, Sabreene, Sandtigress, zyanic, Miri1984, LadyJessamyn, Deeca, TanithAeyrs**, **pseudicide, SurelyForth, **and **Night Hunter MGS **(my lone male friend) THANK you, I couldn't do it without you. all. Please look them up and read their stories, they are very talented._

_And to all my reviewers, lurkers, and fans, I can't thank you enough. It makes my heart go flutter when the stats bar goes up, or I get an email for an alert, or a review. You make it such fun to write. I appreciate your time and support so very much! : )_

_Blessings!_

As it turned out, Kai's timing couldn't have been better, Branan and his family had been harvesting apples to take to the outdoor marketplace of Orzammar, along with beverages and baked goods made by the family from an earlier harvest.

Kai and Zevran helped finish the gathering of the crimson orbs from amongst the whispering leaves. The sky was bright with white clouds, the orchard sported bee hives to help the trees bear fruit so the air hummed lightly, along with a soft, wafting breeze. The green grass alternated with large swaths of golden sunlight interspersed with pools of cool verdant shadows underneath the trees. All in all it was a pleasant way to wile away some hours in the day. Kai could almost forget she was trying to save the world ... again ... still.

It reminded her of the orchards of Highever and she found herself washed in a wave of homesickness so deep she thought her heart might burst with the longing of it.

She made a mental picture, figuring she was going to be underground for who knew how long. Add to that there was the possibility of going to the Deep Roads as well. Maker! How she hated the Deep Roads.

She was thrown from her musing when she felt Zev's amber gaze watching her. "A sovereign for your thoughts, mi amada?"

"Isn't that supposed to be a copper for my thoughts?" Kai grinned at him.

"I have always found that your thoughts are worth so much more than that, mi cielo." Zev stroked her cheek with nimble fingers. "Or you could think of it as the rise in the cost of living due to Anora's rule, no?" Kai couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Just thinking of home, and how nice a day this is, how much I wish that we could just enjoy it." Kai gave him a rueful smile, "Days like this I wish I was just a woman, and this was just an ordinary day. Of course, knowing me, I would just get bored if I had a 'normal' life."

"Si, in Antiva we have an saying, be careful what you wish for...or is it may you live in interesting times? I always get them mixed up." Zev winked at her and grinned, making her laugh and completely breaking her melancholy mood.

"Well I certainly have no idea how you would manage a 'normal' life considering your close association with trouble in all of its forms." Alistair's voice teased in her ear. _Ha, very ha, cheeky fellow._ Kai gave him a mental nose wrinkle. "Just promise me that you will be very careful in Orzammar, my love." _Aren't I always?_ Kai grinned. "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?" Kai laughed, giving Alistair a mental kiss, and giving Zev a real one before turning back to the task at hand.

Kai moved on to another tree, one gnarled old thing, that sported burn marks at its base. It was the queen of the orchard, with a thick and pitted trunk. Scarred, singed, she reigned supreme, the flower dotted grass a velvet viridian robe spread over her feet, her crown sparkling with garnet gems in rustling leaves. Kai figured that like an old matriarch, the tree had survived the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and stood proudly reaching for the sun.

Kai smiled and started to place the wooden ladder against the tree when she was startled by light streak of motion that ran up the ladder and onto thick lower branch. Argus's booming bark sounded behind her as her mabari was very interested in what had raced past Kai's hand on the ladder.

"Argus, stad!" Kai used the ancient Alamarri language to have the big mabari stop his vocalizations as it was frightening what turned out to be a small orange marmalade kitten of the tabby persuasion. It was a little bit of a thing, with that fuzzy quality all kittens have and the blue eyes of that most infants of any species seemed to possess to a certain age. If she had to guess, Kai estimated the kitten to be about five weeks old. Its ginger colored back was arched into a tight bow while hissing at the dog below.

"What did you do?" Kai admonished the mabari, who tilted his head and whined. "I don't care if he ran, you shouldn't have chased him." Argus gave her an indignant 'woof'. "I know you were playing, but he didn't know that. You should be ashamed of yourself, big old war hound, poor little kitten." Argus hung his head, ears drooping. "Mind you, you'd best watch out for those claws, they're needle sharp." Kai had reason to know as this last statement came as she grabbed the kitten from the branch and it sank ten little points into the skin of her hand.

She tilted the kitten up to look at it eye to eye, "Good thing for you I have calluses from using daggers!" She turned the kitten back around and bent down holding it eye height to Argus. "Now you two, let me introduce you, as friends should always be introduced don't you think? And you two are going to be friends now aren't you." Kai made that a statement rather than a question. Argus and the kitten stretched to touch noses, giving each other suspicious sniffs. The kitten reached out a gentle paw to touch Argus's face and the big mabari licked the kitten almost sweeping it from Kai's hands in one swipe of big pink tongue. The kitten didn't seem put out by it, if anything it closed its eyes and purred.

Branan and several of the others had walked up while the exchange took place. "I'm glad to see he's made a friend." Branan nodded towards the kitten, "His mam is a wild thing, dropped him off when he was about two weeks old and walked off and hasn't been seen since. She didn't drop off any other siblings, we don't know if he even had any, or if he did what happened to them." Brannan shrugged, "We have cats around the orchards and the house to keep rats out of the trees and away from the fruit of course, but none were with kittens at the time. So, we all have been feeding him with a rag dipped in milk. He is just old enough now to eat solid food. I swear he thinks he's a human."

The kitten meowed as if in agreement and jumped from Kai's hands onto Argus' broad head, down his muscled neck to sit on the mabari's broad back like a rider would a ceffyl. Branan gave a chuckle, "He seems to have taken a liking to you both. You wouldn't consider giving the little bit a home, now would you? He really isn't meant to be a barn cat, he likes human company too much. And I think mabari company as well."

"I don't know, we are going to be on the road, or in Orzammar. I don't think that is exactly a place for our little friend." Kai shrugged and Argus let out an indignant woof. "Be reasonable, Argus Rabbit, we get into dangerous situations, and are likely to again, the Deep Roads are no place for a little kitten." Argus let out another angry sounding woof. "If he comes with us, he's going to have to fight darkspawn." Argus bark sounded argumentative and Kai put her hands on her hips, "Exactly. Now take him back. Put him where he belongs. Now."

The kitten looked at her, its head drooping, giving a small plaintive meow, while Argus whined sadly. It broke Kai's heart. She felt her resolve wavering, for the "Hero of Ferelden", slayer of darkspawn, when it came to her friends, she really was an easy touch. "UGH! Fine! He can come with us." Kai threw her hands up in resignation, "I give!"

Zevran gave her a low and evil chuckle, "You really have never learned to resist have you, my dear Kaidana? Not Leli's big blue eyes, or Argus's whine. And now you have a kitten wrapping you around its paw. Though I suppose I should be grateful that your willpower in this regard is so low, or you might have slayed me on the spot when we first met, no?" Any protest she had been about to make was lost as Zev's lips found hers in kiss more suited to the dark, "And think of all the things you and I would have missed. Yes...I am very grateful to Fortuna every day for your generous heart. Along with other, shall we say, delightful parts you possess, no?"

"Zev does have a valid point, though, you are really a big softie." She could feel Alistair's grin, "Just don't let the twins find out."_ Ha, very ha, funny guy. Though also very true._ Kai huffed into her own head.

Kai wrinkled her nose at Zev and he laughed again before turning back to place the filled baskets on the wagon. The wagon was almost filled when they stopped for the midday meal of bread, and apple butter, bacon and a creamy white cheese. There were, of course, apples for dessert. They finished their task afterwards, and with a tearful goodbye from Ciere, and a more dry farewell from those workers staying behind, they set off for Orzammar.

They just reached the edge of camp when Sten's voice came from the shadows, speaking in Qunari, giving her the first part of the prayer of the Qun. Kai completed the prayer, letting Sten know they were not under duress. If she had switched the word for 'sea' in the prayer with the word for 'ocean', Sten would have known to attack. It was a code they had developed during the Blight and Sten was on watch.

Traveling with the heavily laden wagon made the going slower, despite their proximity to the meeting place of Kai's companions. Night was falling rapidly when they wove their way to the rendezvous point. And despite her informing them via the procul globe, her friends all wore concerned looks on their faces which rapidly turned to relief when they made their way into the light of the campfire.

Kai looked at the familiar faces and the tents and a wave of nostalgia hit her. Today was a day for old memories and longing for old times, it seemed. She shook her head and introduced Branan and the two farm hands he had brought with him. Kai saw all of their group save one, the newest member to join them, Anders.

She was just about to inquire as to his whereabouts as Wynne was spooning stew into bowls for them, when the loud clattering of wood made her and the rest jump. The loud yelp from Argus caused a second wave of jitters as the kitten on Argus' back was startled awake with the resulting response cats do when scared.

Kai watched Anders blush, "Sorry!" He then went to Argus, "Oh, what do we have here?" Anders lifted the little tabby which fit easily into one of his long fingered hands. "Ah, did I frighten you? I am so sorry little one!" The kitten meowed and began purring, which made Anders cradle it under his chin.

It was Argus' indignant 'woof' that made Anders realize the mabari was there. "Oh, sorry my large and muscled doggy friend. Allow me." Anders' free hand glowed with a bluish white light as he healed the minor scratches on the mabari's back. "There you are, right as rain." Anders gave the hound a cheeky grin and still carrying the kitten went to a log laying next to the fire and sat down on it, cradling the kitten in his robed lap.

Wynne finished passing out bowls to everyone, including Branan who had settled his horses off the wagon on a tie line. Kai sat herself next to Anders while Zev sat to her other side and Argus plopped down at her feet with is bowl of stew between his massive paws. Kai watched as Anders pulled bits of meat from the bowl and bit off small pieces to feed the kitten until the kit was sated enough. The cat lay in the folds of the robe on Anders' lap upside down, in apparent kitty-ecstasy, his round belly rising and falling in sleep while his little paws twitched in kitten dreams.

Kai scooped up the last of the stew from her bowl before placing it down on the ground for Argus to lick. When she rose up she saw that Anders was looking at the kitten with a sad look on his face. She realized she hardly knew a thing about this man, other than he was very good at killing darkspawn, had a wicked wit, and reminded her of Zevran back in their Blight days, with his innuendos.

She caught him looking at her while looking at him and she blushed. He grinned, "So, dove, if you weren't a Warden, or saving the world from Anora, what would you be doing, hmm?"

Kai rolled her eyes at his use of the term 'dove,' when speaking to her, and shrugged. "I guess I would be doing Warden business, and maybe spending time dealing with the nobles at court." She gave a mock shudder which made Anders smile.

"I take it dealing with squabbling nobles is not your idea of a good time?" He leaned in closer, "I could show you better ways to spend your time..." He suddenly leaned back again, flashing a wicked grin at Zev, "But I like not having extra holes in my body that I don't need."

This elicited a chuckle from the assassin, "You are far wiser than I first suspected, my magical friend."

"Hm, yes well not something anyone in the Tower would accuse me of, especially not that old git Irving..." A sharp 'ehem' from the side of the fire where Wynne was seated interrupted what else Anders was going to say. "Ah, yes, sorry. As I was saying, I've never liked the idea of being trapped somewhere, to be honest. It reminds me of the Circle."

He gave Wynne a rueful smile. "After my seventh escape attempt, you'd think they'd have given me credit for trying."

Kai shook her head in amazement, "Seven escape attempts?" Zevran gave a snort, and Kai continued, "Why didn't they didn't just execute you?"

Anders shrugged. "You know the Chantry. They don't believe in executions, if you die, they can't torment you." There was yet another 'ehem' from Wynne's direction. Anders' shoulders rose and fell again as his gaze fell on the elder mage, "Oh, I know, I know. _Most_ people enjoy being kicked in the head to be woken up each morning. Me, I'm just so picky."

He turned back to Kai, "They can't make you tranquil once you've passed your Harrowing. I'll wager they regret _that _rule." Anders chuckled and looked at the kitten asleep in his lap, his long fingers gently rubbed the rounded little belly. His countenance became melancholy once more. "You know, there is one thing I miss about the Tower..." Anders gave a rueful chuckle. "My cat."

Kai reached over and rubbed the kitten, "You had a cat? Why didn't you take it with you?"

Anders grinned. "Well, it wasn't really mine, just some mouser that hung around the Tower. A vicious little tabby. There were days when that stupid cat was the only person I saw. Heh, except for him not being a person." Kai flashed Wynne an angry look with a cocked eyebrow (her this-is-one-of-the-many-reasons-I-hate-the-Tower-and-the-Chantry look). Wynne returned Kai's glare with her usual cool and calm demeanor. Anders must have caught the exchange between her and the elder mage as he cocked an eyebrow and grinned at her before he shrugged. "Still, I liked him. Poor Mr. Wiggums."

Kai turned back to Anders, "Why poor Mr. Wiggums?"

Anders looked down at the kitten who started to stir, sitting up and using a small pink tongue to try and groom its side, only to fall over in the effort. "He became possessed by a rage demon-" Anders looked at Kai with a wide grin on his face. "But he did take out three templars. I was never more proud."

Across the fire Wynne let out a disgusted huff of air along with a muttered, "Really, young man!" Which made the rest of the camp laugh.

"Then we should drink a toast to this, Mr. Wiggums, non?" Gnat nodded to Rajed who grabbed a bottle of mead, and Gnat passed out the mugs to everyone, while he poured.

Once everyone held mug in hand (even Wynne had accepted one), Anders raised his, saying, "A toast to Mr. Wiggums then. May he forever eat mice in the Fade!" Kai watched him toss back a large swallow before wiping his hand across a slightly stubbled chin. "You know, this cute little kitty looks a lot like ." Anders tickled the kitten under the chin who meowed and squeezed his eyes shut purring.

"Then he should be yours." Kai smiled at him. Even Argus gave an affirmative 'woof.'

"I don't know about that. We get into dangerous scrapes." Anders' voice was filled with longing. Kai figured he wanted someone to convince him.

"What do you want to do with him? I mean, we could always send him back to the orchard with Branan." Argus whined, and Kai nudged him with her foot, while giving the hound a 'play along stare.' "I'm sure Branan will find a suitable companion, I mean, it won't be easy. This little fellow was hand reared, and he likes people, not everyone wants a pet cat. They'll want a barn cat. But I'm sure it will all work out. He can just go back on the wagon when they return to the orchard." Kai made the last part breathy and sad. Argus sat up, nuzzled the kitten with a pitiful whine while the kitten gave a quiet little mewl.

Kai could see Anders' beginning to waver, "Don't know, seems cruel to send him back." Anders picked up the kitten and cuddled it under his chin. "I'll keep you for a while, until I find somewhere safe for him. Is that okay with you kitty?" The kitten mewed as if in agreement and began to purr.

Anders held the kit up to face him, "I'll call you Ser Pounce-a-lot!" The kitten gave an excited 'meow' and stretched out a paw to touch the mage's face. "You can stay in my pack, just for a little while, yes?" Again the kitten meowed and began to lick Anders' chin. "Hm, heh, heh! That tickles!" Kai laughed, and started stacking the bowls and spoons from Zev, Anders, Argus, and herself.

She quickly found the dishes taken from her by Gnat, who explained that she and Zev had been picking apples. Jarren and Tam went to relieve Sten from watch, so that the Qunari could eat, and camp settled into the comfortable warmth and friendship Kai recognized from camping with close friends during the Blight. Gnat it turned out had the same skills as Leli and she brought out a small lap harp and sang songs, including some naughty ditties which she insisted they all join in on and which caused snickering and snorting to interrupt the singing on more than one occasion. Eventually Gnat wound down, she and Rajed sat with their heads together talking, Wynne and some of the others sat reading, or writing. After a while the group dispersed to their tents one by one.

Kai started awake when Zev's gentle fingers tangled in her hair before running down her throat in a way that aroused and soothed at the same time. She realized that she must have dozed off. Zev grinned and nodded towards the tent the group had set up for them and she nodded, kissing him, before rising to her feet as he pulled her hand to help her.

Argus was content before the fire, and she realized that the mabari wasn't alone. The mage Anders lay with his head on the war hound's prone body as his pillow, while the ginger colored kitten lay curled in a tight ball, tail over his nose, on Anders' chest. The mage sported a happy grin. Kai laughed to herself and grabbed a blanket, gently covering the mage and his new friend, before ducking into her tent and curling up next to Zev. She was asleep the minute her head hit Zev's shoulder.


	93. Chapter 94

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So off we are to Orzammar...with a heigh ho and and a bonny-o. Kai is just thrilled to pieces. Something stinks in the state of Orzammar, and she is going to have to find out just what it is. I hope you enjoy it._

_My thanks to those who put this story on favs and alerts; and me on favs and alerts. I can't thank you enough! So to **Grannaah, fussycat, Sasuke's Kanojo, leimana, jenncgf, JackOfBladesX, runawayKarma, LadyJessmyn, Sabreene, Narkari, Pearla, Nithu, lilachsh, nubbins, Attewlett, Jedi Padme, Rhiononon, Auranara**, and **Amabala**, my sincerest thanks._

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_Also, my apologies to you all. I hope you will forgive me. I did not intend to take so long getting this chapter out. I feel I fail you all with the length of time it takes lately, but Real Life does not want to cooperate. I do hope you find it worth the wait._

_My signature blessings to you my lurkers, readers, and fans. And especially to those of you who take time out of your busy lives to review. I can't tell you all how much you mean to me, and how much I truly appreciate you all. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai stood rearranging the baskets of apples, filling in the gaps made as the bushels and baked goods sold. What was not surprising was the rate at which the various alcoholic wares disappeared. Branan still kept the supplies for the palace and Tapsters (carefully hidden beneath a tarp) until he received word that he would be allowed to deliver it inside the city. Under the guise of "protecting the kegs for Tapsters, Branan "hired" Sten and the band of mercenaries. It was a pretense that actually held a modicum of truth.

The delay, according to Branan, was unusual; dwarves loved their drink. Ever since Bhelen had taken the throne, human merchants were allowed, and even encouraged to visit inside of Orzammar. The strange wait resulted in a general edginess that infected Branan and his group.

The delay, perhaps, was not the only thing causing disquiet amongst them: the dwarves themselves exuded unease, both merchants and citizens alike. The tension was even worse here than at the _Horn._

It reminded Kai of a hunting trip her family made when some of the nobles were visiting. They made the trip with falcons and the Huntsman's dogs for flushing birds into the sky. The fields were full of calls of their quarry, quail. When the shadow of the falcon would pass over the billowing wheat the silence descended as if a heavy blanket had been cast over the grain.

The tension of the birds would be released in a burst of terrified flight when the dogs would flush them out. This felt the same; and from the normally stalwart and stoic dwarves, it was most un-nerving. They reminded her of the stone they claimed to come from and return to, steady. For them to act as quail waiting for the falcon's punch, it must be very bad indeed.

Such thoughts made Kai tense and edgy along with the vibes from the dwarves. As a result she wasn't sleeping well, if at all. Not that the proximity to the Deep Roads was in any way the cause of her distress...oh no. She had such lovely memories from this place after all. The dwarven politics, more tangled and hard to traverse, than a pit of poisonous snakes. Then the pressing crush of darkspawn, their stench, their corruption around every corner coupled with the constant horrific nightmares; and the song of the archdemon so alluring and compelling rising to a deafening and terrifying crescendo when they came upon it directing the darkspawn armies in the trenches below. Ah yes, good times! Kai gave a mental snort.

"Well at least you don't have to worry about an archdemon this time, or a crazed dwaven woman turning into a broodmother, or a broodmother, or..." Alistair's cheeky voice sounded in her ear. _Oh, yes and I managed to forget about that part, thank you so much for reminding me, smart guy_. Kai rolled her eyes at him. "Sorry, mi' gra." She could hear his rueful grin. I_ really, really, really hate the Deep Roads. And dwarven politics gives me hives. Why do I feel as though I will be dealing with both again?._ "Because there is no rest for the wicked?" She heard the laughter in his voice and she couldn't help but join him. Alistair always made things better, even when things looked bleakest, then as now. He was her light in the dark. _Ha, very ha! Tell me again why I love you?_ "My minor obsession with my hair? My devilishly handsome looks? My love of fine cheeses? Take your pick." Kai gave him a mental snort and a smile.

Her inner dialogue was interrupted by Zev who tickled his fingers in her hair at the nape of her neck as he leaned in on the pretense of kissing her while he put his lips to her ear. "Jarren informs me that the delectably endowed Wynne wishes to meet you down the hill out of sight from the market. She will be there 'picking herbs for potions' as her reason for being there."

Kai smiled and rubbed his cheek leaning in, "I take it Wynne and Anders have found lodging inside the city then?"

"Si, and as soon as we are allowed in we may break away from Branan and avail ourselves of it." His fingers kneaded the base of her skull making it hard to concentrate. Perhaps pretending to be lovers snatching a moment was a bad idea. His lips tickled her jawbone, "And Tam and Jarren have secured curious positions for the scath and Sten as soldiers to the palace to 'keep the peace' they were told. One of Bhelen's men came looking for them specifically when he heard there were mercenaries in the market. Apparently there is a sort of behind the scenes martial law situation going on. Not where surfacers visiting Orzammar will notice, of course."

"No wonder the dwarves are tense. Just what by Andraste's flaming knickers are we getting ourselves into, I wonder. Well at least they will be in a prime position to spy at the palace."

Kai almost gasped when Zev's teeth gently nibbled her earlobe. "Ah, mi cielo, you and Trouble do have a very close relationship don't you?" He pulled back his amber eyes twinkling with mirth.

Kai wrinkled her nose at him, "Yes, as proven by the Antivan assassin standing before me." Zev gave her a throaty chuckle. "Well, at least you can't say being with me is boring." Kai shrugged at him.

Zev threw back his head and let out a full laugh this time, "Si, I cannot accuse you of that. Fortuna is a fickle mistress, she took so much away from me, and then she led me to you, my beautiful Kaidana." His fingers stroked down her neck, "And for that I hold no complaints, despite Trouble knowing where you are at all times, no?" He did kiss her this time, before continuing, "Say hello to our delightfully bosomed Wynne for me, and tell her I long for a pillow as soft and firm as..." Kai put a finger to his lips stopping his comment before he could finish. He grinned and kissed its tip.

She shook her head, grinning, grabbed a book, a hunk of bread, an apple, and cheese before telling Branan she was taking a lunch break. He nodded and Kai made her way discreetly around the market stopping at booths, gazing at wares, and talking to merchants while wending her way to the outer edge of the market where the land dropped off into a sloping hill. Kai paused at the edge, taking a deep breath, stretching, giving the impression she was taking in the view and relaxing.

Kai caught sight of Wynne's brightly colored mage robe as the enchanter wandered under the tall pines, using a small crescent shaped blade to cut herbs before placing the bunches in the specialized reed basket carried by two leather straps worn crossed ways over her torso.

Wynne's gray head looked up and Kai waved as one would, casually to a barely met acquaintance, which is what they were supposed to be. Wynne bobbed her head, and Kai went to sit on a large rock with a flat top that jutted out over the hill offering a stunning view of the valley below. Kai had discovered the rock back during the Blight when they first visited Orzammar. They had been waylaid by bounty hunters hired by Loghain to kill her, Alistair, and anyone with them, after Zevran's attempt failed. The rock had served as a place to stay from view while they cleaned off the blood.

Today she used it as a clandestine meeting place. Kai took out the book opening it up on her lap and while eating her lunch, waiting as Wynne made her way around the rock eventually, gathering herbs from its base before leaning against it as if she needed a break.

Kai stuck her finger between the pages of the book, while crunching her apple and looking into the valley below. Wynne looked in the same direction as if taking in the view. Kai whispered out of the corner of her mouth, "Zev told me you have lodging for us, once we get inside that is."

"Indeed. And I will say this young lady, that on the surface things appear to be normal. Normal, that is, if you aren't looking for trouble. Whoever is behind this is very clever. There are strange folk around the inner market square. They dress like Fereldens and speak in Ferelden, but with a slight accent, an accent I can't place." Wynne's brows furrowed, "One such stranger took to hovering around Garin, who sells lyrium and other minerals while Anders and I were there."

"Ah, yes, 'Garin the Giggler', as Alistair called him. One too many hits with the lyrium, even for a dwarf." Kai chuckled.

"Yes, well even our jocular Garin is not his usual cheerful self. Oh, he tries, but it's forced. The stranger, in particular seemed to make him nervous."

"Curiouser and curiouser. This is worrisome Wynne. I really don't like this at all." Kai let out a huff of air.

"Neither do I, my dear, neither do I." Wynne flashed Kai a rueful smile before rolling her shoulders and stepping away from the rock a bit. "When you get into Orzammar, go to Tapsters and order the lichen ale batter fried nug. The bar maid Corra will tell you they are out, but offer you Oghren's Nug Special. They will pass you instructions where we are staying, just in case we have to change locale before you get there."

Kai flashed Wynne a surprised look, raising her eyebrow. Wynne grinned and shrugged, "What? I been around a bard, an Antivan Assassin, and have followed a woman in charge of her own band of rogues, thieves, soldiers, assassins, and spies. I was bound to have picked up a trick or two by now. I may be old, young lady, but old mabari _can_ learn new tricks." Wynne shot her a wicked grin, "Besides, I learned out of necessity as Trouble always seems to know just where you are does it not, young lady?"

"Hey-y!" Kai did her best Alistair imitation, "Have you and Zev and Ali been talking about me?"

The elder mage just chuckled and began to walk around to the other side of the rock. "We all came to that conclusion during the Blight, your recent adventures are only adding to our tally sheet." Kai humphed, which only made Wynne laugh harder as she walked away making her way back up the hill, stopping to gather herbs as she went.

"Tally sheet, really? UGH!" Kai bit into the apple once more, before throwing the remains in a high arc down the hill. "I suppose you were in on this, list, as well?" Kai asked into her head.

"Well, my love, we had to have something to help us keep up." Alistair's voice was filled with mirth. _Thank you so-o much! You are a bad person! _ "Do you hate me?" _Yes! And I will show you just how much when I get to the Fade._ Kai gave him a chuckle. "We-ell, if you must know, Wynne is the one who started it. She even ran the betting pools...um, forget I said that." _Bets? Oh ho! That sly old bird and I need to have a little chat sometime_. "Blast, um...okay, I need to go, I hear your mum calling! Bye, mi gra!" And with that Alistair was gone.

Kai gave a snort while jumping down from the rock and then making her way back up to the marketplace. Apparently her timing was impeccable as always, Branan was preparing to deliver the kegs to the palace and Tapsters. He nodded to her as they loaded kegs into smaller wagons that were hand drawn, with long handles.

They drew the wagons into Orzammar passing through the large metal doors, out of the Hall of Paragons, and into the atrium area of the Commons.

The view never ceased to amaze her. The cavernous room carved out of solid rock by dwarven engineers. Sounds from the normally vibrant market place bouncing and rebounding from wall to building, to ceiling and back again. The dwarves lit the cavern with a combination of torches, lanterns, braziers, the lava channels, and a very clever use of air vents lined with pyrite that bounced sunlight into the interior. The result was an extremely well lit city. Not as bright as being outside on the surface, but no one would ever be likely to trip over their feet because it was too dark. In fact, it reminded Kai of twilight or just at dawn when the world was visible but hazy falling into shadows.

Branan led them first to the right, past Figor's Imporium, the Nug Wrangler Boermor, and Garin the mineral merchant. Kai tied on her kerchief over her head and covered the vallaslin on her face with the makeup Leli had given her. She kept the her head down as they passed Boermor and Garin. Kai didn't want them recognizing her.

She kept alert for the strangers Wynne mentioned and noticed groups of two to four in various areas around the commons. All were dressed as Wynne described, common clothing for Fereldens. And as the mage said, unless you were looking for trouble, every thing seemed to be normal. But Kai watched as Boermor flashed looks at a group of three such "Fereldens" standing near his shop. The group appeared to be wandering the commons talking, but they were keeping eyes on Garin and the nug wrangler.

Kai paid special attention as they passed the three men and one woman stood talking. They did indeed speak Ferelden, but the accents were slightly off. Kai hoped that if she heard them she might be able to place it, unfortunately that was not going to be the case.

They stood in front of wide metal doors that opened to let them into the lift that would take them to the upper levels of the city and the Diamond Quarter. They were to deliver to the palace first, the King's personal supply. They would deliver to Tapsters afterwards.

Kai found her mind wandering on the long ride up to the Diamond Quarter. She reckoned that she spent a month of her life just riding this hoist when visiting Orzammar during the Blight. Oghren began humming under his breath the song "Dwarven Girl from Emponeema Thaig." This too was familiar from the time she and he had met here a lifetime ago. The song was just long enough to last the whole the ride up. The only problem with the tune... it usually managed to work its way into one's brain and not leave for a fortnight.

"Dwarf, cease that obnoxious melody." Sten's voice growled from over Kai's head. "I have no desire to spend three hours in extra meditation on the Qun to remove it from my mind."

"I could squish its head like a lemon...squi-ish. That would end its horrid noise." Shale's voice sounded from behind her as well.

Oghren turned and looked at their giant companions. "You, giant...whatever you are, sod off. The song makes the ride go faster." Oghren belched, "And, you, you giant walking statue, are supposed to be my pet." He waved the broken control rod, "So no threatening dismemberment, head flattening, or any other harm to my person. Heh, old Oghren is in charge."

"Only in pretend, drunken dwarf. You could find yourself falling into a lava channel." Kai could feel Sten's stare on the back of her head. "Kadan, is in charge as always."

"And a good thing too, or we would all find ourselves captured, dead, or lost if the drunken dwarf were leading us." Shale's voice sounded with contempt, and Kai stifled a giggle with her hand.

Poor Branan was not used to her companions' bickering, flashed her a look. He must have thought they were serious and disliked each other. Kai gave Branan a wide grin and a head shake. He returned the smile, nodding, before shaking his own head at their insults.

The doors opened allowing them to leave the confinement of the box and stopped Oghren from responding and ending the argument. They made their way down the stone corridor towards the palace. As they passed Horrowmont's estate, Kai felt a wave of guilt. She asked Behlen to spare the man, but he refused. In dealing with Anora, Kai understood. If she had taken Morrigan up on that ritual, and Ali had lived, they would have been in the same situation. Execute Anora or forever take the chance that supporters of hers would free the woman and cause trouble. Still, it was not a shining moment in her life. "Sometimes life hands us the choice of two evils, my love. You did the best you could with what you were given. And I know that you did far better with it all, and still do, than I would have." Alistair's voice was the soothing balm now as it had been then, when she had been thrown into a fit of despair, self-loathing, and doubt. _Thanks, beloved, I still feel badly about it all though. _

Zevran, perhaps sensing her mood, reached out and grasped her free hand with his, linking their fingers before raising them to his lips and kissing them. Kai smiled and gave him a sigh with a wink.

At the palace they were stopped at the doors by guards, asked their business, and then subjected to a thorough inspection. Once inside, they were subjected to the same before speaking to the Chamberlain who took the delivery before handing over a leather sack filled with Branan's payment. Kai noticed more human's dressed in noble attire this time, peppered amongst the dwarven nobility. The tension and un-ease were strongest here.

Sten, and her Scath were ushered into an alcove to speak to Vartag Gavorn, Bhelen's right-hand man. While Branan stood talking to the Chamberlain about the expectations of future shipments, Kai noticed Vartag kept shooting looks her way. Despite her clothing, and her covering her tattoos, she was certain he recognized her. She cocked an eyebrow at him, widening her eyes slightly. He quietly rolled his eyes towards her companions standing before him and back at her. She gave the slightest nod, which he returned. He gave her a pointed look, but Kai was uncertain to its meaning. She could only return it with a pointed look of her own, before they turned to leave.

They rode the damnable elevator once more, though Oghren refrained from humming, barely; and back around to the commons to the area that led to Tapsters and then on to Dust Town, if one kept going. They did not keep going, but stopped instead at the tavern. Branan knew they would be leaving him once they had unloaded the kegs for Tapsters. Some of his employees had already entered Orzammar and were inside Tapsters. They had clothing on that would be switched out with Kai and Zev, so as not to arouse suspicion. They would leave with Branan. Argus was with Anders and Ser Pounce since Kai figured that a three hundred pound mabari going in, but not coming out would certainly garner notice.

So, far they seemed to be getting into place without much trouble, save that whole moment with Vartag. Kai wasn't sure if that wasn't going to bite them all in the backside. She was going on instinct that Vartag didn't not like what was going on, and would be on their side. She hoped so at any rate.

Branan approached Corra the hostess, and owner, and her father, the barkeep, to notify them of the delivery. They were ushered to the back storeroom behind the bar where Kai and Zevran met with Branan's servants. They quickly exchanged clothing and Branan and his employees left the storeroom with a bit of a noise so they would be noticed. Kai and Zevran using their rogue skills walked in the shadows and made their way to the front of the tavern before reappearing as if they had just walked in the door.

They made their way back to Corra who stood again in her usual place by the bar greeting newcomers. She gave them the standard greeting but with a sly wink. Kai grinned and at her, "I'd like a drink, and your ale batter fried nug. One for me and my friend here." Kai nodded her head at Zevran.

Corra smiled, "With fifty-two types of ales, seventeen types of mead, and a dozen imported wines, we should be able to serve your needs. As to the fried nug, well we ran out and the batter needs to steep in the ale for a time. I can recommend the Oghren's Special though, named for one of our own who became a hero during the Blight fighting with the 'Hero of Ferelden' may she rest with the Stone. What'll you have?"

Kai kept from snorting, barely, "Oghren's Special for both of us. A mug of mead for me, and a glass of your best Antivan red for my friend here."

Corra nodded, and motioned for one of the bar maids to lead them to a table. The dark-haired dwarf walked up to them with a slight smile. She was beautiful, with smooth skin, green hazel eyes, and striking features. The silken skin of her face was marred only by the tattoo for the casteless on her right cheek, and the beautiful geometric design on her forehead. She gave them a slight bow, before waving an arm indicating they should follow her in that direction.

The bar maid led them to the back of the tavern sitting them in one of the furthest seats but strategic in that they had their backs to a wall and they could see the entire bar. Kai spent only a moment wondering if Corra gave instructions to her staff about her preference on not letting anyone come up behind them. That was soon dispelled when the bar maid gave a quick glance around before leaning in, "Hello, 'Hero of Ferelden'."


	94. Chapter 95

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So, Kai has finally snuck into the dwarven city, and she is now facing someone who may know who she really is. And what exactly is going on in the rotten state of Orzammar? More is revealed in this chapter. I hope you enjoy._

_To all who put this story on favs, and alerts; and me on favs and alerts, I thank you! So to **leimana, jenncgf, runawayKarma, Lady Jessmyn, Sabreene, Narkari , Attewlett, Jedi Padme, SamuraiPants, Auranara, Amabala, ProsePrincess, Red Elle, Inara Oliaen, ChampiontheWonderSnail, MistressRainSky**,** Roadtrip the Pickpocket**, and **Persephone Chiara **my humble appreciation._

_Please, please read **ChampiontheWonderSnail's** stories, and **ProsePrincess's**, they are both so wonderful! _

_And my signature love and gratitude to all of my lurkers, and especially my reviewers. I can't thank you all enough, or tell you how much you mean to me. This story is my baby, and I would write it regardless, but knowing that I entertain you all, well that is icing on the cake. _

_Thanks to my betas, you wonderful people you keep me straight, and sane. So to **Night Hunter MGS **(my ass kicker), **Ladyamesindy** (dear friend and pathfinder), **Violet Theirin** (my Goldilocks), **Janni** (the saint of grammar), and **Blightsworn **(my dwarf expert, and the woman who gave me the character Salveiga, so read her works please, they are great) my thanks to you all! I love you guys!_

_And I know I have not been posting as regularly as you all, or I wanted. I am so sorry to have made you all wait so long. I am hoping to get into a more regular schedule again. Thank you all for hanging in with me, I know it can't be easy, and I do apologize to you all. Again, thanks for being there for me, and the story. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

Kai schooled her face carefully while trying to read the female dwarf standing before her. "The 'Hero of Ferelden' is dead, or haven't you heard? He died killing the archdemon." She cocked an eyebrow.

The beautiful woman simply tilted her head back and laughed. "Nicely done. Vartag said you could be clever."

"Oh you meant the other hero, yes she 'died' too. Poisoned I believe, her 'killer' hasn't been brought to justice...yet."

"But you hope to see that happen in the future, no doubt." The dwarf was even more beautiful when she smiled. "Let me get your food and drink."

Kai watched her walk off, and scanning the tavern before turning to Zev, "Well, she threw out Vartag's name. I don't think she did that on a whim."

"Hm, no my dear Kaidana, I don't think she did at that. I too saw our old friend Vartag's face, he recognized you, despite your state of dress. She may be his agent, but I am an ex-Crow. Erring on the side of extreme caution has kept me alive this long. I would like to keep on in this, 'living condition', for a while longer, no?" He leaned in, his fingers rubbing along her thigh while his lips teased her earlobe, "Especially if you continue sharing it with me."

She turned her face towards him, giving him a long and lingering kiss. She could feel his surprise, and his passion. She pulled her lips away, "You are a charmer, and I must say I agree with you, caution is the best policy. Especially now, we have no idea what we are facing. This is..."

"Unsettling? Yes, I agree. The strangers in the market, and in the palace. They are not Fereldans. And the tension..."

Anything else Zev may have been about to say was interrupted by the return of their "barmaid" and their food and drink. She smiled and placed it down in front of them. Kai placed coins on the table for food, drink, and a tip.

The dwarva picked up the coins, running her fingers over them, her eyes suddenly getting wide. One coin she held up and rubbed her fingers over, three crescents shown on the side that faced Kai and Zev. Kai watched the woman's thumb run the surface she couldn't see, but knew to have a griffon with wings unfurled emblazoned on it. And in a flash the "coin" disappeared in an act of slight of hand that Kai found impressive. So, their friend was a thief, probably a rogue like Kai herself.

The young woman grinned at her, "Thank you for the tip, my lady, is most generous." She gave Kai a slight bow, and backed into the shadows of the room. When she appeared again she was dressed in leathers with a sword and daggers strapped on. She was a girl after Kai's own heart after all.

The dwarf sat down next to them, "Please eat, or it might look strange, and we don't want our unwanted guests getting suspicious." She bobbed her dark head towards the front of the bar where two humans had entered. They looked like one of the groups that Kai observed loitering in the market area and the commons. She watched them sit down at a table in an area where they could watch the front and the back of Tapsters.

Kai looked at Zev who gave his usual cocky grin before picking up the black iron utensils and lifting food to those smiling lips. Kai did the same, and was pleasantly surprised that Oghren's Special was a flavorful and delicious dish. What was not surprising was that it obviously had been cooked with ale; and from the taste of it, Oghren's own special ale recipe that he had given to Wynne in the Deep Roads oh so long ago, and later the rest of them.

Kai took a swig of her mead before addressing the dwarf, "So, you are no barmaid, but a rogue. And a rogue who is casteless yet throws out Vartag Gavorn's name as easily as dwarves throw back beer." Kai gave her a grin, "And now you know I work for the Silver Griffon, and the group of shadows working on behalf of Ferelden. I have shown you my cards, now care to show me yours?"

The young woman cocked a delicate eyebrow and gave her a saucy grin while reaching into a leather pouch at her waist.

"When she says 'show her yours', it would be best to do that with the utmost care and caution no?" Kai looked to see Zev slide a very sharp (and she had reason to know) poisoned dagger against their new companion's torso just under her armpit where the wound would not be seen right away giving them time to leave if they needed to.

The rogue only grinned harder and held up the hand not occupied in supplication. She continued to reach into the bag and gently pulled out a delicate, but heavy ring, issuing a husky laugh, "Relax, salroka. I'm not in a hurry to die."

She handed it to Kai. It was obviously meant for a woman. Kai recognized the Aeducan royal seal, a geometric bearded dwarf. Only Aeducans wore it. As this woman was without caste or clan, she would have procured it in only one way...it was given to her. Kai grinned, running a finger over the design before handing it back.

The young woman palmed it, and the ring disappeared into the dark interior of the leather pouch once more. She chuckled again as Zev withdrew his dagger and resumed eating. Her green eyes turned to Kai once more, while she offered her arm in a warrior's grasp, "Salveiga Brosca, sister to Queen Rica Aeducan."

Kai grasped the proffered arm gripping the leather vambrace, "Kaidana Cousland, and as you mentioned before, 'Hero of Ferelden'. Though I really hate that term, Alistair Theirin was the true hero, not I."

"Ah, mi' gra, we may have to argue that when you come to me in the dream Fade next." Alistair's voice sounded in her ear.

"Oh, can we 'argue' so many things and then make up?" Kai gave him a cheeky mental grin.

"Hah! You have been around Zevran way too long, my love." She could feel his smile.

She was interrupted by Salveiga, who released her grip on Kai's arm to raise her hand and motion to a barmaid for a drink. The girl nodded once at the dwarf rogue, and went to the bar. Those beautiful green eyes were turned on Kai once more along with the saucy smirk, "Pleased to meet you. I prefer, Sal, by the by. Salveiga is only when I am in trouble with my mother."

Kai burst out laughing, "I suffer from the same problem. Kaidana was only when I was in trouble..."

She was interrupted when her fellow rogue said in a teasing tone, "Which was often?"

"You sound like someone who is familiar with that state, no?" Kai taunted her back, which caused that lovely husky laughter to burst forth once more.

"Nicely done again! So, what do you prefer to be called?" Sal cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Kai." She returned the raised eyebrow with one of her own, before forking up more of her meal.

"Kai, I like that. Well then who is your handsome and oh so dangerous friend?" Sal shot an appraising eye at Zevran who stopped eating to sip from his wine glass.

Zevran's amber eyes assessed their companion while giving her a charming leer, "Ah, but I hope you will forgive me. How rude of me not to introduce myself. I am Zevran Arainai, ex-Crow, and fantastic lover. My friends call me Zev, and we are going to be friends, are we not?"

Kai rolled her eyes as the elf raised Sal's hand to brush the knuckles with his lips, "Well at least one of those things he said is true...he is an ex-Crow." She wrinkled her nose at him with a cheeky grin.

"Amiga, you wound me! I must endeavor to prove myself when we go to our bed this evening, no?" Zev shot her a saucy grin, "I do love a woman that demands a man impress her." He winked and Kai and Sal chuckled.

"Ah Salroka, you are a smooth talker. Your lips talk charm, but your eyes are for only one, and she would not be me." Sal grinned at Zev, while cocking her head at Kai.

"You my dear, are a very observant woman. Remind me not to play 'Wicked Grace', with you; unless, it was strip 'Wicked Grace'." Zev winked at Kai, who grinned and shook her head.

"I warn you, he is incorrigible." Kai returned the wink.

Sal chuckled and nodded at the barmaid who brought her drink. The dwarf's face became pensive as she sipped from her tankard. "Being observant is a necessity when you're born in my part of town. You keep the dust out of your eyes or you die, the choice is simple."

Zevran chuckled, "Ah, mi amiga, your childhood sounds similar to mine. I too know the value in noticing what others may ignore or take for granted, no?" Zev shot Kai another smile, "Especially traveling with Kai, Trouble knows where she is at all times."

"Then you are in for a double dose of it, my friend. Trouble sticks to me like cave ticks stick to nugs. And Trouble has decided to nest like a pit of Deep Stalkers all throughout Orzammar; the palace, the city, even Dust Town; their packs are everywhere."

"Yes, we noticed your guests, who dress like Fereldans but aren't from Ferelden. And it seems your latest tourists also make everyone very...uneasy, shall we say?" Kai cocked an eyebrow at their companion.

Sal laughed, but she turned serious once more, "Since you are here, Salroka, I can only surmise that Hegnar found you?" She sat forward more, her green eyes more intense. "When our 'guests' arrived nothing seemed amiss, then the palace started issuing strange orders, and these people started hanging out in our market and the palace. There is a curfew now, dwarfs have disappeared taken from their beds, or off the streets themselves. It started off small, and almost before we knew it, any way to get some missive out to let those topside, to find the 'Griffon' or the shadows that are working against Anora, became near impossible."

Kai leaned back, smiling, sipping her mead, making it look as if they were just friends having a friendly conversation, "I know this is a sensitive subject, but act as though you and I are talking nothing more serious than..."

"Having pillow fights in your small clothes?" Zevran asked in a mockingly hopeful voice.

His comment had the proper effect, Sal tilted her head back and issued out a husky and lovely bubble of laughter before clapping the elf hard enough on the shoulder to nearly topple him from his chair. She grabbed her mug and belted it back before signalling the barmaid for another tankard. "That is only a myth you males have invented." She laughed again when Zev's face took on a crestfallen look.

Sal mimicked Kai and leaned back in her chair, adopting a casual pose. She waited until her drink arrived before she began again, "Heg, Hegnar, he volunteered. We knew we needed the help of the 'Griffon'. Heg's mother was engineering caste, his father warrior. His mother's family helped carve out the tunnels, and the air ducts. So Hegnar used the grappling hooks, ropes and pulley system to use the air vents to get out of Orzammar without arousing the suspicions of our less than welcome friends."

"Why did you send him to Gwaren?" Kai queried.

"Well, before the shutdown of our city, we had been receiving word about Anora's doings, and the 'Griffon's' exploits. Gwaren was the last large stronghold we had here in Ferelden with access to the surface, and the Silver Griffon struck a nasty blow against Tevinter and Anora there. Hegnar intended to scout around Gwaren, suss out any information on the new hero working for Ferelden and where he might be. If no information could be found in Gwaren, Hegnar was to travel to Denerim and hit The Gnawed Noble Tavern as Corra thought Cyril had been helping the Griffon and his group." Sal took another deep swig of brew before continuing, "Since you are here, and the amulet you carried bore a rampant griffon..." In another slight of hand the silver medallion appeared, as if from nowhere, in Sal's fingers. Kai watched as she flipped it across knuckles from thumb to pinkie and back again, "I guess he found this burr in Anora's side, and here you are. Vartag recognized you, and told me to mention him. He too is trying to work against what is happening. And I supposed that Heg told you who our guests are and what is going on." Sal made the coin disappear once more and lifted her shoulders, "So, what is your plan to deal with our problem?"

Kai felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, "I hate to say this, but I don't know what the real problem or problems are, other than these foreigners are scaring the Stone out of your people."

Sal's eyebrows shot up, "But you are here, Heg must have told you..."

Kai looked down, while pulling out the ring the blighted dwarf they found in Gwaren wore. She held it up and handed it to Sal, "I found him, in Gwaren, by chance. I happened to be there, looking for some papers Anora would not want to get out. The town was savaged, a pit of dead humans and dead darkspawn. We happened upon a male dwarf, he was so far gone with the corruption of the darkspawn that he was almost a ghoul. He raved about Orzammar, the king, something about demons; but it was all so jumbled, and he was making no sense. I caught that there was trouble, but not what the trouble was. I am so sorry. I..I had to end it for him, I know he was your friend."

Kai kept her eyes on Sal's face. She wasn't sure what the dwarf's reaction would be. Sal's face remained passive as she looked into her tankard, as if the answers to the universe might be in it. She let out a huff of air, and rubbed a hand along her smooth forehead before speaking, "He was my lover actually, but that doesn't matter now. Well, better a quick death than what would've happened. A warrior's death as befits his caste, he deserved that. I am glad you gave it to him. Thanks. "

Kai nodded, "I am just glad that I found who he was, and that those who...cared for him will not wonder what became of him." Kai explained where they had put him in the Deep Roads.

"You buried him with the Stone?" Kai watched Sal swallow hard before knocking back the remains of her tankard, while simultaneously motioning for another. "Thanks again. I will inform his family, and when Orzammar is free again, we can collect his body and put him in his family's burial chambers."

"And may I ask, just what are we freeing Orzammar from?" Kai tilted her towards Sal.

Again, the dwarf waited until the tankard hit the table and the server walked away. She drained the mug of a good portion of its contents before turning a sardonic smile on Kai, "The problem is an infestation of Navarran mages, my friend. Now aren't you glad you came to help?"


	95. Chapter 96

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So the plot thickens! Something is really stinky in the state of Orzammar. I hope you continue Kai's saga._

_Thanks to those who put me on favs and alerts as the author; and to those who put this on favs and alerts too. I can't tell you how much that means to me. So my humble appreciation goes to: **ShortMage, The-Enduring-Fox, janetlee, taz3SGSN, Deeca, celtic-twinkie,** and **Miralsobel**._

_To my readers, lurkers, reveiwers...THANK YOU! To read your reviews is the icing on the cake. I write because I love to do it, but your thoughts on it, really make it all the sweeter. I appreciate you all so much._

_And my thanks to my betas, **Night Hunter MGS** (whose brilliance helped make this Orzammar arc shine. Please read his works, he is a brilliant writer), **Ladyamesindy** (a prolific and wonderful author, who keeps me straight), **Piceron** (another talented lady, who smooths out my rough edges), **Violet Theirin** (yet another talented writer who is my Goldilocks), **Blightsworn** (talented author and my all-things-dwarven beta), and **Janni **(lovely, talented grammar checker, and a writer to read as well). I couldn't do it without you all._

_And I apologize for this coming out so late. The holiday (Thanksgiving for all my non US readers) got in the way, as did a bout of writers block. I don't know why I was blocked, this chapter shouldn't have been hard to write, but it was like getting blood from a stone some days. So I am sorry for the delay. _

_Blessings!_

"Nevarran mages?" Kai flashed Zev a look while raising her eyebrow, "I would wonder that you are joking, but I am sitting here watching two of them and how their presence effects everyone." Kai looked at Sal, "How would mages of any stripe control dwarves? You're magic resistant."

"Ah therein lies the proverbial rub, along with the 'which came first the Deep Stalker or the egg' puzzle." Sal barked out a short burst of sarcastic anger. "We may be immune to magic itself, but we are not resistant to being torn asunder by demons, salroka. These mages are holding our royal line hostage, as well as our beloved city. They have some sort of device which open portals to the Fade and pulls these creatures through. They have placed them in the palace, in particular with my sister and my nephew. They also have them hidden in various places around Orzammar, including Dust Town."

Sal made a motion for more drinks for everyone and waited until the various beverages had been placed on the table in front of them before continuing on. "I was on a mission at the time for Bhelen, when these mages came to visit along with their dangerous toys. They gave a little demonstration on the magical portal they snuck into Endrin, my nephew's, room."

It took every bit of discipline Kai had not to jump from her seat, "They didn't use the child as a sacrifice did they?"

"Easy, salroka, I'm no slick-tongued Shaper with stories. No, they didn't sacrifice my nephew, he was merely held at knife point, while the blood of the the guard they had overpowered was used to fuel the portal. Endrin's nanny was the 'example' on how it worked, the poor duster. They used the portal to call up a demon made of flame and it tore her apart." Kai watched as Sal knocked back yet another mug. Kai smiled in amusement, the dwarf wasn't even tipsy yet. Kai would have been under the table by now.

"Needless to say, my nephew has a new 'nanny' now." Sal motioned for a refill.

Kai snorted, "Let me guess, one of your less than welcome guests stepped in to take the position."

"You got it in one, salroka. Maybe you skyers aren't as dim as they say you are." Sal tossed Kai a saucy grin and a wink.

"Their plan is devious to be sure, but how did they get close enough to the royal family to implement it?" Zev's voice startled both Kai and Sal as he had been sitting so quietly observing that they had forgotten he was there. He chuckled at their expressions and shrugged, "I used to spy and kill in my old life. Old talents die hard, no?" He flashed his most charming smile making Sal laugh and causing Kai to grin and wrinkle her nose at him.

Sal answered him, "They came under the guise of negotiating lyrium, same as the Tower does here in Ferelden. Obviously that was a lie." Sal barked out a short laugh, "Well, not entirely a lie, they have been taking bronto-sized amounts of lyrium into the Deep Roads, but to what purpose?"

"You mean you don't know?" Kai almost thought she was hearing things.

"I mean just that, salroka. It isn't exactly safe to be in the palace, and it is Stone hard to sneak in. When I have managed, I am only able to see my sister. Bhelen knows what is going on, but seeing him is impossible, they are with him always." Sal threw back yet another tankard and asked for another round for the table. They waited until the barmaid returned with a tray, leaving drinks, and clearing the empty mugs away, before continuing.

"I am sensing that this isn't all of it. The disturbing happenings I mean." Kai cocked an eyebrow at the dwarva. Kai noticed the Nevarrans looking their way, "Laugh as if I just told a joke. We mustn't look too serious or our friends over there may get suspicious."

Sal threw back her head and laughed, slapping a hand on the table, "No it isn't. A group of our best dwarven engineers were taken with the first large shipment of lyrium into the Roads. They also visited the Shaperate and removed books on Cairidin, his anvil, and golems. So, if I had to guess, salroka, it has to do with recreating a golem army."

"That would be my guess too. Thought there has to be more to all of this than that. Amassing a golem army could take years. I don't see the Navarran mages spending years to make one such army, that would draw attention. Navarra has made its commerce and power by being a neutral player in Thedas. They have done very well doing so. They remain outside the fray, and they have the college for mages there. I suspect that someone is funding this group's operation. I also suspect it would not have the sanction of the Navarran government or the college. This might be a rogue faction of the mages." Kai absently ran a finger around the rim of her mug, thinking. "I think someone else wants the army, and hired the mages, to help make it happen." Kai shot Zev a look.

"I think we need to speak to our delectably endowed Wynne about the college and the factions, no?" Zev cocked an eyebrow with a saucy grin.

Kai nodded and chuckled, but grew pensive once more, "This is definitely more complex than what first meets the eye."

"When is it not, mi gra? Especially when you are involved." Alistair's voice teased in her ear.

"Ha, very ha!" Kai huffed into her own head. "But so true." She could feel him grinning.

She was startled out of her internal dialogue by Sal motioning to Corra. The hand motion for drinks she recognized, but the other had her curious. Whatever it was, the barmaid nodded and went to the back room behind the scarred counter. She wasn't sure what to expect when Corra returned with a tray which she placed on their table. The girl put down more drinks and a leather bag along with a round wooden board with round divots on its surface.

_Aha!_ Kai had seen that board many times during and after the Blight as Oghren taught all of them to play his favorite way to pass time, besides drinking that is, dwarven checkers. She laughed when Sal upended the leather bag and began placing the stone marbles on the board's surface.

Sal cocked an eyebrow at her, "I figured our nasty friends over there were watching us a little too closely, the game might keep them from getting curious as to why we are still sitting here. You cloud heads aren't known for holding your drink." Sal flashed them both a smile, "This is..."

"Dwarven checkers, yes I know." Kai cut in, while taking a piece and making the first move. An aggressive move Oghren had taught her.

"Well, well, you are a skyer with unsuspected depths." Sal gave Kai a look of respect.

"Oh, si, she is indeed. Shall we make bets? Who takes the first piece? Who takes the most fastest, and who eventually wins?" Zev grinned and moved one of his pieces.

"Done, my pointy-eared friend!" Sal slapped Zev on the shoulder, almost toppling him again.

Kai waited for Sal to maker her move on the board, "We need to speak to Bhelen."

"Easier said than done, salroka." Sal moved her piece across the board, "As I said, there are mages with him at all times. Even I can't get in to see him, and I'm family. The only people allowed an audience with the king are merchants or those involved with commerce or trade." Sal sat back and drank from her mug, "They are trying to keep what is going on from raising the suspicion of surfacers as much as they can."

Kai observed the game board,and spoke while maneuvering one of the stone pieces to an empty space, "Would he see mages from the Tower?" She took one of Sal's pieces.

"Sod!" Sal slapped a hand on the table, "Well first bet goes to you, salroka!" Sal leaned in as if looking to see if Kai had cheated while pitching her voice low, "Well, yes. In keeping with appearances to outsiders, including the Tower, Bhelen continues to negotiate trade agreements himself. Why? Thinking of passing yourself off as a Tower mage? "

"I was thinking more of passing myself off as a templar escorting two Tower mages." Kai waited for each of them to move the checkers before continuing, "Do you think I might be able to get my hands on some templar armor? I know that the armor smiths here make and repair for those at the Tower."

Sal cocked an eyebrow, "They do, Janar in particular. He is one of the best armor smiths in Orzammar. He usually has a standing order with them. I am sure he can fit you with a full set of templar armor."

"Yes, well that may prove a difficult hurdle for Kai." Zev flashed her a grin while moving one of his pieces.

Sal raised her eyebrow once again while grinning, "Oh? Do tell, skyer, I sense a story here."

"Oh Si, not only does Trouble know exactly where Kai is at all times, she is often Trouble's most effective agent." The elf only threw back his head and laughed when Kai wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue at him.

"Isn't that an understatement?" Alistair's voice laughed into her ear. Kai gave a mental groan which only made Alistair laugh harder.

She turned back to Sal who sat chuckling at the exchange as well, "When I visited Orzammar during the Blight, I made a hole in Janar's shop's wall escaping from Jarvia's hideout."

"And?" Sal leaned in a wide grin on her face.

"There has to be an 'and'?" Kai shrugged.

"With you, salroka, yes." Sal's smile flashed white teeth.

"Hmm, our beautiful dwarven friend is a fast learner, no?" Zev winked flashed the dwarva a saucy grin.

Kai huffed out an explosion of breath while resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose, "Really, I ought to drop both of you into a lava channel." This statement only elicited more chuckles from the elf, the dwarf, and Alistair. "Fine! I also may have helped his daughter leave Orzammar to go study with the mages. So, he doesn't exactly hold me in the highest of regards."

"Oh ho! So you're the one that helped Dagna with her dream. We all thought she was crazy as a tick infested nug. Always waiting to talk to surfacers, counting out the time it would take to reach the Tower from here. No stone sense, that one. Why study magic when we can't do magic?" Sal tossed back the rest of her mug and motioned for more. "Janar tried to talk sense to her, and teach her to be a smith, but Dagna never stopped yearning. There was a rumor running around Orzammar, including Dust Town, that some skyer had taken Dagna away to the surface and given her to the Tower."

"You make it sound like a kidnapping!" Kai shook her head, "I assure you, I didn't have to 'take' her there."

Sal threw up her hands in supplication, "Easy there, salroka! Everyone, knows that, even Janar, though it embarrasses him to have a daughter who would rather be a surfacer studying an art she can never practice."

"Well, now you know why I can't go and ask to borrow a suit of armor from him." Kai shot Sal a look of regret, "I know he isn't happy about her life choice, but she is. I know what it is like to have a life others think you should live that holds no joy. I had to help her with her dream."

"You don't have to explain to me, salroka. As a Duster, I know about dreams that take you out of a life not worth living. Even better if those dreams come true with help from someone who really cares about you as a person. Unlike Leske, who peddled my sister as a noble hunter. He wasn't seeking to help her status from the goodness of his own heart."

"It was that kind of practice, and the horror that is Dust Town, that had me choose your brother-in-law over Harrowmont." Kai gave a rueful shrug, "I hold no love for Bhelen and Harrowmont was the better man, but Harrowmont believed in the status quo. I couldn't see you all surviving if things didn't change. Bhelen wanted things to be different, he spoke of this with the Shaper. No matter that I hold no love for the man himself, Bhelen was, and is, strong enough to help save you all. Harromont on the other hand..."

"Harrowmont would have spent his time dealing with in-fighting. Orzammar and we dwarves as a whole would have fallen, not by darkspawn invasion, but our own culture's collapse." Sal gave sarcastic snort, "Then there is Bhelen, I always figured he was a selfish cave tick who only loved power and himself; yet, he has improved Dust Town and the lives of the Dusters there. He abolished the casteless class, and those that go top side are welcomed back. Before these mages came, he was implementing reinstating Assembly with representation from Dust Town." Sal gave another bark of laughter and downed the last contents of her mug. "I know I have no love for Bhelen, but my sister does, and my nephew too; and he seems to love my sister and my nephew beyond all else, even the crown,which surprised me. He is willing to let whatever is going on continue as long as they pose a threat to Rica and Endrin."

Kai shot a glance under her lashes at the mages sitting in the middle of the room before moving another checker, "Sal, I need your assistance with several things. I need you to get templar armor from Janar, and I need you to get word to Bhelen through Vartag that I am planning a visit. I want him to warn Bhelen, I don't want him showing surprise."

"Si, as no doubt he will be watched closely by his new, devoted 'friends'." Zevran grinned and took one of Kai's pieces with his.

They went on playing and drinking. More Navarrans joined the others as the tavern filled. Kai took that as their cue to leave. They settled their bets over the game, paid their tab and made their way out of the tavern. They said their good byes outside and parted company, one to Dust Town and one group to the quarters Wynne and Anders had secured for them at the inn around the way from Tapsters.

Kai and Zev wended their way past the statues of the Ancestors. As they passed them, Kai wondered how Filda was doing. They had searched for the dwarf's son, Ruck in the Deep Roads. And that led her to wonder about the crazy blighter. When she saw him last he was turning into a ghoul from eating darkspawn flesh. He had begged they tell his mother he was dead.

She let out a huff of breath, so many unpleasant memories. Everything she did when she visited Orzammar seemed to be the choice of the lesser of two evils. Better hope it goes better this time, she thought to herself.

Zevran sensing her mood grasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. She gave him a smile and leaned in to give him a quick kiss, "Just an unpleasant trip down memory lane." She shrugged, "So, where is this inn?"

Zev took her to an alcoved courtyard behind the statues, one she had never taken notice of when she was there before. She looked up to see the stone sign carved over the door. Her dwarven was a little rusty, but she needn't have bothered. The picture below sported a carved nug eating lichen. "The Hungry Nug?" Kai looked at Zev and laughed before pushing the door open and walking inside.


	96. Chapter 97

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : D**

_So Kai and Zev make it to their home away from home. They will have some explaining to do to Wynne and our favorite rascally twinkle fingers...Anders. LOL!_

_My customary tribute to those who put me/the story on alerts and favs goes to: **stardust794, nomibubs, taz3SGSN, SweetWench918, Liso66, THE JUDSTER, makillian, Silver-Hair-Lover, Jinx 1983, Lady Alira, RandomWittering, arboura**, and **Kiki Aries**._

_My eternal gratitude goes to my betas and friends (whom I snooker into doing beta for me), you all rock my world: **Night Hunter MGS, Ladyamesindy, Violet Theirin, Piceron, Blightsworn, Liso66**. *HUGS* guys!_

_My deep and humble appreciation, and aw, go to you who read and review. I can't tell you how much it means to me. And I have received some of the most beautiful, and fantastic reviews. I wish I could put everyone of you here, but I try and send personal email responses so I can tell you each in detail how lovely you really are. Wow, just , wow you guys! Thank you!_

_I know one of my fantastic fans told me I don't need to apologize for being late, so I won't say sorry; instead, I will say THANK YOU, for waiting so patiently for this chapter. Holidays, and a bit of writers block... blech! _

_Oh and I haven't had a chance to see all of my fans who put me/the story on alerts and see your own writings, but I wanted to remind everyone here that most of us do write. Please read! There are some fantastic works out there: **Zeeji's "Seeing Clearly", Ladyamesindy's "Ever Constant" (her Nate AU)**, **Liso66's** newest **"Silk and Steel" (AU Ser Bryant and Amell) & "Throw Away Warden",** **Kiki Aries's "One Year Later", Picron's "Of Parents and Secrets", **and** Random Wittering's "Impossible Dreams"**; just to name a few. I know I wish I could read all of them and I want desperately to call attention to you all as writers in your own rights. _

_**Blessings!**_

Kai and Zev walked into the dimly lit interior of _The Hungry Nug_ inn. The lobby floor was covered with a thick woolen rug in a geometric pattern. The room itself was neat, dimly lit by two torches, and some muted magical runes. It served to give the impression of twilight and sleepy comfort.

There were stone benches and chairs, and not all built for dwarves either. It eased Kai's mind some, as it meant a bed that might fit a human. She didn't relish dangling her feet over the edge or sleeping caddy-cornered to get some shut-eye.

They made their way to a front desk made of carved stone, upon which stood a flat etched disk of metal hanging from a metal bar suspending perpendicular to its stone base. A small stick with a leather-covered padded end hung from a hook on the frame. Zevran picked up the stick and applied the leather covered end to the plate of hanging metal which emitted a low reverberating 'bong' sound.

A tapestry worked out in red, black, and white geometric designs bulged slightly before being swept to the side to reveal a doorway Kai had no idea was there. The makeshift curtain swung back into place as a male dwarf walked through to stand before them. His elaborately plaited beard glowed like golden honey in the torchlight. "Ah! A young couple in love, I supposed you're needing a place to bunk down? As it so happens, I have a room with human sized furniture still empty."

He turned back to the wall to the side of the doorway through which he had just appeared. The wall held square openings carved into the rock, and each cubby-hole sported a glyph and held either an empty metal hook, or a hook with a heavy iron key. Kai noticed that some of the spaces held what looked like parchment pieces. The dwarf reached for a key and pulled one such piece of brownish paper from the space behind the hook. He sat the scrap of parchment along with the key on the counter as Kai put coins down for the room.

"My lady, the occupants in the room next to yours have a missive. Would it be an imposition if I were to ask you to deliver it? It is a couple of mages here from the tower about lyrium. I think this note might be from their friends there?" The dwarf shoved coins for the change Kai didn't think they were entitled to. He winked at her with a grin before flashing a look at the coins and back to Kai. "My _cousin_, Georig, he lives next to Lake Calenhad and the tower. He tells me that the mages are ten feet tall and shoot lightening out of their fingers, he is such a joker. They both looked as normal as cloud-heads can to me." The braids of the man's beard wiggled with his laughter, "Georig loves his ale. He keeps trying get me to go topside and visit _The Spoiled Princess_ tavern there."

Kai looked down at the pile of coins some copper bits and good amount of silver, sitting on the paper beneath it. One coin was larger and bore a symbol Kai was very familiar with: three crescent moons back to back joined by a triple knot. The 'coin' had writing not readable in the dim light of the lobby, but Kai knew it said 'dileas go deo'. Without flipping it over she knew a rampant griffin would adorn the other side.

"Yes, well your _cousin_ is right, good ser. Topside has many fine ales to choose from. _The Spoiled Princess_ is well known for it's selection." Kai grinned at him, "And I would be happy to deliver the message to the mages for you." Kai leaned in close as she piled the coins into her palm, "And I thank you for allowing yourself to be recruited by the Scath by way of Georig." Kai slapped some of the silver back on the stone counter, along with the Scath medallion, "Your, tip." She scooped up the key with a wink.

"I am Ruhe, my lady. It is a pleasure to serve." He returned her wink with a grin at this, "my wife Walpurga helps with the running of the inn and can attend to your needs as well." Ruhe made the medallion disappear into his pocket, and the coins into a metal lock box. "Please don't hesitate to call on us. You'll find your room up the stairs and at the end of the hall. Room three-oh-four. The mages are in room three-oh-three next door."

Kai and Zevran made their way up the narrow stone step to the floors cut into the rock. Signs at the corner of each corridor glowed softly with inset lyrium and pointed travelers to the halls where their rooms were.

They found rooms three-oh-three and three-oh-four at the end of one long hall near a set of back stairs. Zevran slipped the heavy key into a matching iron lock on the stone door with the glowing glyph, giving it a twist. The mechanism was well oiled and tumblers slid back with hardly any noise at all.

Kai watched as he placed one of his long fingered hands on the door and nudged it open slightly. Like the lock, the great iron hinges on the door were well lubricated. Zevran must have heard something in the room beyond as he drew one of his throwing daggers from its secret sheath and readied it as he put himself into the shadows. Kai followed suit, cautiously moving around the heavy door.

She had barely entered the room when she heard a familiar voice, "Now, mate, I have all the holes a body needs to function. And while I appreciated a good poke, I am usually the one doing the poking."

Kai came into the room to find Zev standing over Anders who lay prone on the bed with his kitten on his shoulder, Argus laying beside him and a plate of fruit and cheese in his lap. Kai watched as Anders flashed the elf a saucy grin while feeding, first the cat, then Argus, a bit of cheese before popping a grape into his own mouth.

"My sparkled fingered friend, it is truly amazing that you have not found yourself on the sharpened end of a dagger while in bed before this." Zevran grinned and shook his head while making the blade disappear once more, "How did you manage to gain entrance into our room?"

Anders let out a deep chuckle, "Ah, it takes one to know one, does it not, my dangerous friend? I have no doubt you know well the art of quick escapes from amorous romps gone wrong."

This statement caused Zevran to throw back his head and laugh, "Si, my magical mischief maker, we have more in common than I would have guessed upon our first meeting."

"Oh, perhaps even more than both of us realized, besides our good taste in women?" Anders grinned at Kai before he winked at Zevran. "As to how I managed to enter your room, comfy bed by the way, do you think it's big enough for a threesome?" With this Anders flashed Kai a hopeful look before turning back to Zev, "I picked the lock of the door between our rooms." He popped another grape into his mouth. When the kitten and Argus protested, he addressed them while doling out more nibbles, "So sorry, my furry friends!"

"And it took him forever and an aye." Wynne's dry voice floated into the room as the mage entered from the door in question, "I thought I would grow old and die here before he picked it." Kai turned to watch as Wynne walked in with a tray holding a bottle of wine, and four mugs. The mage set it upon a low slung bureau that appeared to be carved from the stone itself. Kai saw two more plates piled with more food. "I offered to go to the innkeeper as he is on the side of The Silver Griffon, thanks to our Scath weapons-smith and his family, but Anders insisted he show off his 'skills with a lock pick." Wynne cocked an eyebrow while a smile played at the corner of her lips.

Anders's voice took on a mock hurt tone, "My dear lady, you tease me! I admit that I am no slick fingered rogue, and that perhaps it took longer than say, our talented friends here; but believe me, picking locks has come in handy on several occasions and on several escape attempts." Anders flashed them all a cheeky smile, " And I don't mean just from the tower."

"Of that, I have no doubt." Came Wynne's acerbic response as she poured burgundy wine into the mugs.

"Why not just bust a lock with a freeze spell? Why take so much...time, with a mundane tool when you have magic at your disposal?" Kai grinned and shrugged her shoulders as Wynne handed her a mug of sweet smelling wine.

"My dear lady, Templars at the tower know when magic is being done, and they can suppress mana. They saw fit to lock me away behind mundane, as you called it, doors; therefore, I thought it prudent to learn how to use a lock pick." Anders winked and grinned taking his own proffered mug with a little bow of the head to Wynne. "I am nothing if not practical."

"Young man, if you were practical, you would not continue to escape from the tower. And once you had absconded, you would not have been caught over and over." Wynne cocked an eyebrow at the young mage while sipping her wine delicately, "Why do I suspect pursuit of female company was to blame for your continued incarcerations?"

"My dear lady, if there was some irate husband on occasion who misconstrued his wife giving aid and succor to a homeless and penniless mage, well that was not my fault. And if said husband caught a man warming his wife's bed, well, I didn't do it."

"Certainly not, you are a model of propriety, I'm sure." Wynne raised an eyebrow while stating drily, "Much in the way that Zevran is, no doubt."

This drew a laugh from Kai and Anders, and a "My deliciously endowed Wynne, you wound me!" and a chuckle from Zev.

Wynne snickered and shook her head, before sitting in one of the three chairs in the room. Apparently she and Anders had brought them in, in anticipation of their meeting. Wynne waited until Kai and Zevran settled themselves before she looked at them leaning forward, placing her elbows on her knees. "So, what took you so long? You are hardly the type to sit in a tavern drinking for drinking sake."

"Except for that time at camp where you and Leliana got drunk off of Oghren's stolen beer stash at camp that one night." Ali's voice teased in her ear.

"Ugh! Don't remind me! The headache the next morning was horrible, and Wynne wouldn't heal it as a reminder to us both." Kai gave him a mental grimace.

She broke off with Alistair and addressed Wynne, "Well, we had a visitor."

Zev gave Kai a cheeky grin, "A most beautiful, and interesting visitor, no?"

"Beautiful?" Anders's face lit up with interest.

Kai laughed, "Yes, beautiful and deadly, so behave yourself when you meet her."

"Oh, now I am even more intrigued!" Anders lips curved into a wide smile while he winked at Zev conspiratorially, "I have always had a weakness for beauty and danger."

This made Zev laugh and Kai throw up her hands shaking her head. "I give up on both of you, two incorrigible reprobates! What am I supposed to do with you?"

"I could thi-" Zev began, before Kai stopped him by placing a finger on his lips.

"Yes, you could think of something. Both of you could, no doubt." Kai flashed a look at Anders who only smirked harder. "You two are so much alike, Maker help me." Zev grinned and kissed her finger's tip before sipping more wine.

Kai turned back to the elder mage, "Our visitor was none other than the sister to Queen Rica Aeducan herself. And Vartag Gavorn sent her to us. I expected to have a missive telling us where you'd found us lodging, this is very nice by the way and in a good place close to the front doors." Kai pulled out a small tightly folded piece of parchment that had been stuck to the bottom of one of her mugs, she unfolded it and it bore lettering on it in ink. "From this childish scrawl, I take it you let Anders write the note." This earned Kai a mock, hurt 'hey', from the mage in question.

Kai wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out at him before continuing, "It seems Vartag recognized me, and sent her to us." Kai went on to explain what was going on at the palace and around the city: the Nevarran mages, their demon portals, their holding Bhelen and his family hostage, their disappearing to the Deep Roads with dwarves and information on Cairidin (which led Kai and her companions from the Blight to fill Anders in on dwarven history and golems).

"So, you tell us that Nevarra wishes to build a golem army?" Anders looked taken aback, "To what dark purpose, I wonder?"

"I don't know that the Nevarran government is itself involved, though, they do have their constant battles with Orlais. If Nevarra had lost the war to own the mineral rich Blasted hills to Orlais, well, then golems would indeed come in handy; but they didn't."

"No, young lady they didn't lose that battle, but I can see why the Nevarran government might agree to let some of the mages from the college in Cumberland help a certain little viper on the Ferelden throne to amass an army of golems." Wynne stood and went to the bureau to pour more wine into her mug. "Nevarra feels about Orlais the same way that Loghain did. And I am sure Anora is manipulating that to her own advantage. She probably promised them help against Orlais; supplies, gold, weapons, armor, soldiers should they need them."

"Why so many mages? Why not engineers and soldiers?" Kai shrugged.

"I suspect that they are of one of the mage factions that believe that magic should be profitable, either monetarily or politically, or both, dear lady." Anders shot Wynne a knowing look.

"Hmm, our young troublemaker is probably right. Lucrosians, they are a small faction among us. They do believe our talents should be for sale." Wynne sipped delicately while staring off into space, lost in thought. "They would be the mages to send. But I don't like it. I think you are right, Kai, something else is going on."

They all sat in silence, each to their thoughts, before they bid each other good night and went to their beds. Sleep, at least for Kai, did not come easily; her head so filled with thoughts that she hardly noticed when she did slip into strange dreams.


	97. Chapter 98

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_This chapter gets a little steamy, just to warn you all. : )_

_My thanks to all who put me, and the story on favs and alerts! I know I do this every chapter but I want you all to know how much I appreciate it. And to remind my readers that many of you are all writers in your own rights, so please, spread the love! My thanks to: **nomibubs, THE JUDSTER, arboura, Kiki Aries, Jecica, Dimuerta, Dakrkiller, village larks, rrin, Jinx1983**, and **WestieX9**._

_Shout outs to the suckers...erm, eh hem, my friends and betas (ROFL) who are the best people in the world. They put up with me, and help me keep my story straight for you all. So my love goes to:** Night Hunter MGS, Ladyamesindy, Piceron, Violet Theirin, Liso66, Jani**, and **Blightsworn**. I couldn't do it without you all!_

_And thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who read and review. It means so much to me. I love hearing your feedback, and I never know when I am going to get a great story idea from your reviews. I am so humbled that you all like the story, and knowing that you do, are the sprinkles on the donut that is my writing. You all rock!_

_And I have been trying to give shout outs to all of you who write, it is slow going as there are so many of you talented people out there. So please check out **Sarah1281 **who has 197 stories! And **Kiki Aries'** story "**One Year Later**". And **WestieX9** (westiex9 on the BSN forum community creations only) who writes some fantastic stories, that are a must read as well. Just to name a few authors. : )_

_**Blessings!**_

_Kai sat at a long wooden table covered with a lace tablecloth broken up with platters of food, plates, teapots and tea cups. Various figures sat around the table, and when she looked closely they were all different types of darkspawn clothed in fancy Ferelden clothing, including dresses. Like some macabre social affair; they sipped tea and ate from plates, yet their movements were jerky and awkward with elbows, necks, and wrists held at strangely splayed angles. _

_She felt a hand on her arm and she turned to see Nissyan the hermit sitting next to her. He smiled and pointed, indicating she should take a closer look. Kai leaned in towards the hurlock sitting next to her, noting the clothing of a noble, and the way the fancy teacup and saucer looked so ludicrous being held in a clawed and black skinned hand. "Look closer." Nissyan's voice giggled into her ear. It took a moment and then it struck her; there were strings attached to the darkspawn's elbows and fingers as if it were nothing more than a life-sized puppet. _

_Her gaze shot upwards following the strings to see what looked like a spiderweb of wires attached to two giant wooden control bars, with the trailing wires allowing the controllers to master each of the creatures sitting at the table. There were figures supposedly manipulating the puppets, but she could not make them out as they seemed to be made of shadows and silhouettes and there was a vast expanse of table between them._

_Kai stood up and made to walk the length of one side; she knew she wanted a better look at one of the puppet masters. The moment she took one step the table elongated, stretching out into a vast distance carrying the puppeteer farther away. When she turned to walk towards the other end again, the table elongated carrying the second puppeteer away as well. _

_Frustrated she sat down again speaking to Nissyan who had stuffed his cheeks with what looked like a scone. Of all the participants in her dream, the hermit seemed to be real, much the way Alistair was when they were together here. "Nissyan, is that really you? What is all of this?"_

_Nissyan giggled, "Have a biscuit!" He shoved a plate of cookies towards her, "We have biscuits! Not as good as mine, but still!" _

_Kai smiled and took a biscuit from the plate as the hermit poured tea into her teacup, adding honey and milk. "Nissyan, I don't understand, what is all of this?" Kai waved a hand down the length of the table. _

_The hermit giggled, "Questions, questions, always with the questions! That is my favorite thing! It is a puppet show of course, watch!"_

_Kai watched as two hurlocks, one from each side of the table, jumped on top scattering plates, smashing food, and crushing teacups beneath booted feet. Kai found herself scooting back and Nissyan grabbed the plate of biscuits and sat with them in his lap while chaos ensued as all the darkspawn began fighting each other. "See, they fight! Remember this, it will be important later." Nissyan spoke with his mouth full, crumbs falling off his chin. Then he tilted his head much the way Argus would hearing something far away, "The one who is a part of you is coming. Time for you to go, yes, time to go. Remember this, friend, don't forget! And eat biscuits, they're good!" _

_The world expanded as if Kai stood still and everything moved around her at such speed, the entire scene became a blur. Just as suddenly as it started, the movement came to a sudden stop and Alistair's beloved voice rumbled behind her, "Well that was certainly strange." He chuckled into her ear, "About as strange as the hermit himself." _

_Kai's heart fluttered in her chest, an intense happiness swamped her as she spun around and threw her arms around his neck her lips meeting his of their own accord; as they always seemed to do when they were together. She pulled back to smile at him, "As strange as bread cats and cheese mice?" _

"_Hey-y, that dream didn't become strange until you made up the bread cat." He gave her his lopsided grin. _

"_Uh-huh, because a table full of nothing but cheese, including a bowl of live cheese mice is completely normal." Kai grinned at him, "Well, normal for a Grey Warden with a huge appetite, especially for solid dairy products."_

"_Hard and crumbly, soft and creamy, sharp or mild...mmm, I could really go for some right now. I wonder if Nissyan's table still has some or did the darkspawn stomp all of it into paste, do you think?" Alistair gave her a cheeky grin. _

"_Oh, you have an appetite, do you? I think I have something to tempt your palate." Kai returned his grin with a smirk of her own._

"_Real-lly? And what could possibly tempt me more than cheese?" He cocked an eyebrow at her, his smile getting wider._

"_Oh, I'm sure I can think of something you like more than cheese." Kai pressed her lips to his again, slowly nibbling first his top lip and then the bottom one before consuming his mouth entirely, leaving them both breathless. _

_When they pulled apart, Alistair grabbed her hand tugging her along with him, "Yes, I see what you mean." _

_Kai took note of their surroundings, noticing that they were in a forest glade surrounded by lush vegetation, the air carried the soft scent of flowers and birds sang. She expected to see the bed in it's usual place, instead it looked as though a stone bathtub lay sunken into the ground, with green grass dotted with tiny flowers growing right up to the edge of it. _

_Kai cocked an eyebrow at him, and he blushed adorably, "I thought we could try something new. Well, sort of. Remember the bathtub at Redcliffe, and that pond at camp during the Blight?" She nodded, "Well, the pond was cold..."_

"_You didn't seem to mind that back then." Kai laughed when his skin flushed a darker shade of pink._

"_You are a bad person, and no I didn't mind, but I thought we might have the best of both worlds. Warm water and that beautiful area at camp." He grinned and walked backwards down stone steps into the water of the deep stone basin still grasping her hand. _

"_I see you took care of our clothes this time." She flashed him a saucy look letting her unoccupied hand follow the curve of her naked breast. "If I am a bad person, do you hate me?" Kai grinned and followed him, finding the water a very pleasant temperature, unlike that pond back in what seemed a lifetime ago. _

_He waited until she was standing in the tub with him, his fingertips caressing the side of her face running down her throat to tease her breast. "Let me show you how much." He released his grip on her hand, cupping the nape of her neck in one large palm while his long fingers massaged the back of her head sending waves of pleasure along her spine. _

_Her lips were fused to his as Ali backed into the water sitting on a bench ringing the basin pulling her with him to sit on his lap facing him. His kisses pulsed throbbing shivers throughout her body, while his hands roamed across her chest making her ache with longing. _

_Alistair pressed his lips at the corner of her jaw, peppering a fiery trail of kisses leading down to her neck. Kai tilted her head back for his mouth to have better access, and his moans echoed her own purring cries. He descended his ministrations between the valley of her breasts, tenderly kissing each one until he took a hardened peak into his mouth. Kai's hands desperately reached behind his head as she laced her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to her tender flesh._

_Reflexively, Kai's legs parted as the ache pooled exquisitely into her core. Alistair slid his hand between her thighs creating a tantalizing dance with his fingertips, his ministrations only deepened the ache of her pleasure to agonizing levels. Kai's back bowed back as her breath came in gasps and cries, "Ali..." It was strangled cry that he forced from her as he sent her flying with hands and his mouth alone. _

_Before her body had stopped shuddering, she slithered over him trapping him in warm wet spasms of the pleasure he had brought her; she thought it only fair to share the wealth, so-to-speak. She wanted to giggle at her own internal musings but refrained as it might be imprudent; she had no intention of not returning the exquisite torture he bestowed upon her._

_Kai rocked her hips slowly at first, while bracing her hands on his shoulders. Alistair's hands gripped her waist helping her movement, but when he sought to move more quickly she stopped him, and he allowed her to set the pace; Kai wanted to torment him as sweetly as he had her. _

_She watched his beloved face, and smiled; his eyes were closed as if their lovemaking took all of his concentration. It reminded her of their first night together, when she suspected he used his Templar training to prolong things despite it being his first time. It was one of the things she loved about their times together...her breaking his resolve. It was a delicious challenge, one he didn't seem to mind her determination to overcome. _

_Kai focused on her muscles that surrounded him, fluttering them as she moved over him. His eyes popped open as he gasped her name ending in a low growl. With a muffled "you are truly evil", he gave a deep sensuous bite into the tender flesh of her neck while his hands played with the hard points of her breasts._

"_And you think I'm the evil one?" Her breath left in a pant and it was all she could do to concentrate. _

_They moved together sweetly, and as whenever they were together, the world began to spin faster and faster their pleasure building on the other's. Every cell felt alive, and she felt herself trembling as her body released in an explosion of gratification; her breath expelling as she cried out his name._

_Alistair's hands gripped her hips still moving her against him as she felt him convulse with what she had brought him. His breath came in soft gasps as he groaned against her throat, tickling her shoulder. "Kai, I miss you so." _

"_And I miss you, mi' gra, so very much." Kai tilted her head to touch her lips to his once more. She pulled back to smile into his beloved face when she felt herself leaving the Dream Fade._

She woke with a start, her feelings of intense happiness and love colliding with the emptiness and loss she always felt when the parted from each other in the Fade. It took a moment for her to remember where she was, oh yes: Orzammar and 'The Hungry Nug Inn.'

The bed was empty on Zev's side and the door between their room and Wynne's and Anders' was open. Kai heard Zevran's voice hiss, "Keep your voice down my sparkle fingered friend, Kai is still sleeping. She tends not to get enough rest as it is, and this mission may see her have even less. I would like her to remain asleep as long as possible, without your womanly lamenting."

Zevran's comment made Kai giggle softly, but it was Anders' whining, "But you want me to dress in that?" that had her leaving the warmth of the blankets to go the doorway.

She couldn't resist. Kai stood in the doorway, rubbing sleep from eyes that didn't want to focus properly. Zev flashed her a loving smile which turned to a scowl in short order as he rounded on Anders, "Braska! Your obnoxious caterwauling woke her as I feared it would!"

Kai grinned, "Relax Zev, what are you all doing to Anders? You aren't putting a vallaslin on his forehead and stripping him naked to put on a ship to Rivain, are you?"

"That would be a treat, dear lady, in comparison," came Anders' sarcastic response.

"What's the matter Anders, are they dressing you up as a woman? A Ceffyl?" Kai yawned and blinked her eyes focusing on her companions standing in the room.

"Again, no dear lady, it is much, much worse than that."

Kai shook her head and rubbed her eyes again to make sure what she was seeing was actually real and not a dream in the Fade. Anders stood next to Wynne with a hang-dog look on his face, his lips set in a pout. "They want to dress me as a bloody Templar!"

Kai couldn't help it, she burst out laughing.


	98. Chapter 99

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_So poor Anders lives under a threat of wearing templar armor, but never fear Kai gets a little of her own medicine back in this chapter. Karma can be bitch. I hope you enjoy! My thanks to the creators, writers, and actors of the T.V. show NCIS it inspired Wynne's actions at the end of this chapter. _

_As always I have to share my appreciation to those who put me, and this story on alerts. It always gives me such a thrill. **Tutor Verum, Bell the Scribe, Zuzu Petals99** (a fan of "It's a Wonderful Life?" ^_^),** sue920, Shinigami Hollow, Katalini, millahanna, Bell the Scribe, tsv279, mackillian, guentyn, Epiphany Sola Gratia, sesegirl, Innocence INSTINCT, naomis8329 **(who also gave me one of the longest and nicest reviews *HUGS*), **Nonsensical-Romance**,** Zephyr Windfoot**, and **miyabilicious** THANK YOU all!_

_I am trying to draw attention to you all as writers in your own rights by spotlighting writers. So this chapter I am pointing the floodlights at **Zeeji **(she has three) but her prequel and sequels **"Seeing Cleary" **and **"Seeing Beyond"**. And I wanted to draw your attention to **Eva Galana's **stories, her prequel and sequel, **"Halla Tainted"** and **"Halla Reborn"**. And I would like to direct your attention to one of the sweetest people I know, **Jinx1983**, and her story** "World Spins Madly On." **And **mackillian's** wonderful story of Malcolm the Dalish elf-baiting wonder in **"In Peace We Lie" **(Psst, she has 11 other fantastic tales as well)._

_THANK YOU to all who review it really keeps the Goblins of Self Doubt Away, and light a fire under my muse's fanny. I really appreciate it. And *HUGS* to those of you who read and lurk. You all, also help my muse and act as goblin repellent. You all make the writing so much fun._

_And my gratitude to my betas, without whom my content might waver, my plots might have holes, and my commas would run amok; and without whom my wanton use of the interrobang might surface. **Ladyamesindy, Piceron, Violet Theirin, Liso66, Blightsworn **(thanks for keeping my dwarven content and spellings correct), **mackillian**, and **Janni** you all rock! Thanks so much!_

_A special shout out to **Liso66 **who in a chat helped me free flow the convo of Anders and Kai at the end of this chapter. Thanks Shell, you rock!_

_And a note to my dear friend** Night Hunter MGS**, who sadly had to drop out of writing, I say thanks. It is to you I owe thanks for the Orzammar arc. I hope real life lets you come back and share your talent with us soon. _

_Oh and apologies for the delays in getting chapters out, particularly this one. I had horrible writer's block, and the Goblins were eating my brain. I am sorry for the lag._

_**Blessings!**_

"I am so glad you find this amusing. I, for one, find this no laughing matter." Anders' voice took on a hurt tone. "I thought your group might do some sort of hazing ritual, dear lady, but I assumed it would be something along the lines of making me run through the village square naked, with my smallclothes on my head." Anders shrugged. "Or having me slather my naked body in honey and throw myself into a pen of mabaris. But I never thought you and your little group would come up with something so... heinous, and likely to chafe as well."

The room erupted into peals of laughter, with Argus joining in with doggy barks. When quiet settled once more into the room—save a few twitters, mostly from Wynne—Zevran clapped a hand on the mage's shoulder. "My sparkle-fingered friend, it occurs to me that most of your ideas involve you being naked. I am sensing a pattern here, no? It has been a while since you were graced with female companionship, hasn't it?"

"What? No! I... oh, all right. It has been a while. I've been escaping the Tower, on the run, looking for my phylactery." Anders looked affronted. "What? It isn't what you're implying! I've been a little busy!" Zevran chuckled and Anders huffed his breath. "Look, mate, ladies don't like when men in shiny suits of armor surround you. It can be intimidating no matter how charming you are. Not to mention having those same wind up toys watching while you're engaging the lady's affections. Surprisingly, most women don't like an audience, and Biff and the boys were hardly going to participate, nor would I want them to. Between you and me, Biff was a bit on the hairy side. You would have thought his mother dallied with a dwarf."

Kai bit her lip to keep from laughing again. "Yes, well, I had no part in the plan to dress you as a templar. I thought that privilege went to me."

"Indeed, _mi amada_, you are still going to be a templar, but it is our well-endowed Wynne who pointed out that the Revered Mother is the one who negotiates for lyrium with the dwarves. While our common citizens may not be aware of that, these mages might. It would be unseemly for a couple of magi, even if one is a senior enchanter, to speak to Bhelen about such things. So Wynne will dress and present herself as..."

"As the obnoxious old bat?" Kai grinned at Wynne, who _tsked_ at her. "Yes, we wouldn't want them to figure anything was amiss and kill Rica or their son. And I need to let him know we are working on his problem, and perhaps averting one for Ferelden itself." Kai flashed Anders a saucy grin. "No matter how much our 'sparkle fingered friend,' as you call him, Zev, dislikes the notion, I think it will suit our plans nicely. We'll need to get word to Sal that we'll need not one suit of templar armor, but two, and one for—and I use this term loosely—a gentleman." The last comment elicited a hurt 'hey' from the mage in question. Kai smiled and turned to Wynne. "Are there any accoutrements worn by the Maker's fish wife that you need for your part?"

Wynne let out a heavy, exasperated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Really, young lady, I wish you wouldn't call her that." Wynne shook her head before rolling her eyes at Kai's and Anders' cheeky grins. "Actually, that does pose a bit of a problem. I will need a set of revered vestments."

"A bit of a problem? You might have mentioned this when we were still outside of Orzammar." Kai chewed her lower lip.

"I said a bit of a problem, young lady, as in very slight, or small. Brother Burkel, who started a chantry here, thanks in no small part to you, has brought the making of robes and chantry linens to Orzammar, and enlisted the dwarven tailors who make the cloth raiment for templar armor." Wynne shrugged. "The only issue is that we will need a legitimate reason to visit Burkel so as not to arouse suspicion. The only probable reason for your going to the Chantry would be for services." Wynne's lips quirked slightly at the corners as if in controlled mirth at the look of horror on Kai's face.

"Andraste's flaming knickerweasels, you want me to go to _services_? Why _me_?" Kai couldn't quite keep the whine out of her voice, but Chantry services? _Really? Wasn't coming back from the Fade enough?_

"Ah, _mi gra_, what's the matter? It'll be good for your soul." Alistair's laughter-filled voice teased her.

"Ha, very ha! Smart guy, you wait until I get back into the Fade." Kai mock growled, though she couldn't help but smile with a cheeky mental chuckle. "If it is so good for the soul then _you_ can attend services with me, beloved."

"Um, I think I hear your mother calling me! Bye, my love!" Alistair's laughter faded out, leaving Kai to huff into her own head.

"Yes, you, young lady. Burkel has great respect for you, and you can explain to him the seriousness of the situation. He will believe you." Wynne's smile widened like a cat sitting before an empty birdcage. "And you are the leader, after all."

Kai rolled her eyes. "But as 'leader' I shouldn't go. What if I get found out?" Her voice took on the cajoling tone of a child trying to convince a parent that bedtime was not necessary. "Why can't you go, Wynne?"

Wynne's lips quivered as she attempted to keep the mirth that was obviously trying to find an outlet. "I can't go, as I will be playing her Reverence, and I wouldn't want to take the chance on these humans seeing me. I suspect that not many dwarves make the services, nor have been converted. I would certainly stand out, and I don't want to be found out later."

"Okay, Zev can go." Kai flashed the elf a hopeful look.

Zevran gave her a cocky grin. "Ah, _mi querida_, I am afraid not. While I have been known to pray to the Maker, and even attend services from time to time, I will not be able to attend in your stead. I will be getting a message to the lovely and deadly Sal about armor for our friend here. And for her to get a message to Vartag to prepare Bhelen for our visit. I think it is best he act as if this trip was... expected, no?"

Kai then turned to Anders, who raised his hands and shook his head as he backed away. "As loathe as I am to say 'no' to a beautiful woman... no! You're dressing me in templar armor, which is quite enough torture, thank you very much. Just _thinking_ about templars gives me hives, let alone being dressed as one. One second in that get up is one second too long, and you will have me in it for far longer than that, no doubt." Anders crossed his arms over his chest. "Ask me to fight darkspawn, or templars, or even dragons, and I am yours to command. My magic hands are at your disposal for any danger, including the dangers of the bedroom, but attending services at the Chantry? Dear lady, in this, you are on your own."

Kai resisted the urge to pout and stomp her feet... barely. "Fine, when are the next services?"

"As it so happens, young lady, today, in about half an hour." Wynne's lips quirked with a barely suppressed smile again. "Just enough time for you to dress and grab a quick bite to eat. We wouldn't want your stomach growling while Brother Burkel is giving the sermon, now would we?"

Kai's heavy sigh only caused more laughter to echo along the stone walls of the bedroom. "You are all evil, evil people!" But she couldn't help but smile along with them.

Kai took herself to the room she shared with Zev and put herself in the plain dress with a kerchief over her hair that she had been wearing as a seller of apples. After making sure that the tattoos on her face were covered with the makeup Leli had given her, she joined the others in Wynne's room before they journeyed downstairs and out of the inn to Tapsters.

Kai was surprised to see as many patrons in the morning as she did. Granted, the numbers did not equal the evening crowds, but it was more than she expected given the early hour. The astonishment must have registered on her face, because Anders leaned in with a hastily whispered explanation. "I daresay, my pet, that the people you see here now were here last night and have yet to go home." Kai cocked an eyebrow at him and he shrugged. "If dwarven pubs are anything like surface ones, that is."

"Experienced with that sort of thing, are you?" Kai smiled sweetly.

"Let's just say that I am not... unfamiliar with a breakfast of 'the hair of the dog that bit me,' dear lady." Anders grinned and motioned that she should precede him down the stairs to the floor of the tavern.

They were greeted by a young male dwarf who, unlike his various clientele, looked as fresh as a daisy—as Kai's nanny used to say—and was also cheerful and friendly. He led them to the back table they had occupied the night before, only to find it occupied by a dwarf whose snoring sounded like an out of tune orchestra played by pigs.

The young man—who looked enough like Corra to be a close blood relative—buoyantly bounced the heavily wheezing drunk to the stone floor of the tavern while whipping out a rag to wipe down the table's surface and gather the multiple mugs covering the table top. The freckles across his nose danced as the grin never left his face.

The drunken dwarf, unperturbed by his sudden relocation, continued to snort, the sounds of which echoed off every hard surface until a swift kick in the ribs from their host ceased the bedlam as the prone dwarf rolled over to one side. "I am Crevak, and my apologies for the noise!" This was followed by another kick by Crevak's boot-clad foot to the unfortunate drunk's backside. "Please, allow me to tell you of today's specials for the morning hour so you may break your fast, after which I will have our sonorous friend here transferred to the comfort of the street."

"Someone has one of those 'word a day' calendars given out by the Chantry, no?" Zev's voice whispered in her ear, and Kai bit her lip to keep from laughing.

They seated themselves as Crevak motioned for two large dwarves, who had been moving kegs behind the bar, to carry their inebriated fellow to the entrance. Once there, the door was flung open, and the sloshed dwarf was swung back and forth before one final swing sent him flying out the door. The porcine orchestral noises ended in a loud grunt with a moment of silence before floating through the entrance once more, only to be fully silenced when the great iron portal was slammed shut.

Anders coughed. "Remind me not to pass out in this place. Their exit policy leaves a little to be desired."

Zevran chuckled. "Indeed, my magical friend. They bring new meaning to 'here's your hat, what's your hurry,' no?"

Crevak tittered a high, girlish sort of laugh before addressing the table. "For breakfast, we have our usual assortment of fine wines, mead, liquors, and ales. We also offer the usual breakfast items: porridge, sausages, bacon, bread with butter and honey, and eggs fried in a variety of ways. Most of our morning crowd prefers porridge liberally thinned with the ale of their choice. It seems to take the edge off from the night before and get them started on the day." They watched as the dwarf produced a small pad of paper hooked together by string, and a stick of charcoal almost as if by magic. "I daresay that you all don't have the need to ease into the day in such a manner, so porridge with honey, perhaps?"

Crevak dutifully wrote down their orders before giving them a slight little bow with a snapping of his heels, and whisked away with the perpetually happy grin gracing his features.

Anders cocked an eyebrow at Crevak's departing back. "I want whatever our young server has been imbibing. It might make wearing the armor more bearable."

"It will certainly cut down on the whining that is sure to accompany your new wardrobe." Kai grinned at the mage.

"Then perhaps, dear lady, you should inquire after the source of his good humor for yourself? After all, you are about to attend celestial services delivered in the bowels of the earth. Your spirit could use the help to rise to the occasion, could it not?" Anders gave a saucy wink, followed by a low chuckle when Kai wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue in response.

Their food arrived in due time and they ate with occasional bursts of conversation around mouthfuls of food. The motion of Kai's fork slowed as the time for services drew nearer, like a child who hopes to put off washing the dishes when the food is gone. And like a child, she was caught at it by Wynne, much to the amusement of her companions.

Crevak took their plates away and brought a game board along with a bag of checker pieces. Zev and Anders placed pieces while Wynne took bets. Kai slowly rose from the table and shuffled towards the door, sighing all the way.

The Chantry wasn't far from Tapsters, Kai figured this to be a very smart move after services as she surely could not be the only one who would want to get blind drunk to have a break from the sheer boredom of an hour of her life she would never get back.

Kai entered the stone doors inset with the stained glass with the Chantry's stylized sun glowing from the torchlight from within. She made her way down the aisle to find a seat close to the front, but still in the shadows along one of the side aisles. She figured the close proximity to the altar would make it easier to catch Burkel's eye, and for her to set up a meeting, which it turned out she didn't need to do.

One hour later—which felt like ten—Kai waited for the small congregation to file out. In between wishing for sticks to prop up her eyelids and stifling yawns, going to services made her heart ache for her brother and her parents. It brought back memories of a time when her family had been whole. When she was a child and made to go to services, she and Fergus used to play different games they had invented using signals with their hands. The act of sitting in a chantry flooded her with a wave of nostalgia and longing that surprised her.

She made sure to be last in the line of parishioners filing past the brother as he shook hands and wished them the blessings of Andraste and the Maker. When it came her turn, she took his hand accepting his blessing, and kept an eye on the Nevarrans. She noted their distance from the chantry door before leaning in to speak to Burkel. As she suspected, some of the dwarves headed straight for the pub.

A small group of Nevarrans stopped a slight ways off, and one turned just as Kai was saying to the brother, "Burkel, it's me, Kai Cousland. Pretend I am the one who sells you the beeswax candles for the chantry." She nodded and smiled at Burkel while keeping an eye on the group.

Burkel looked startled for the briefest of moments before recovering, smiling in return. "Ah, my dear, so good to see you again! The recent shipment of candles you brought with you are in beautiful condition, as always. I would like to place my next order with you, and maybe discuss an idea I had for smaller prayer candles the patrons may take home and place on personal shrines?" He waved a hand into the interior of the chantry while nodding at the mages and smiling. The woman smiled and nodded before turning back to her compatriots, and then they moved on.

Kai stepped back into the shadows of the atrium while Burkel closed they door. He turned back to Kai with a look of astonishment on his face. "My child, I thought you were dead! I had word that you were killed by an assassin's trick. I am so grateful to the Maker, he and his bride be praised, that it was not true." He grabbed her arm and pulled her further into the building, stopping in the nave. "Are you here about our recent... visitors to Orzammar, by any chance?"

She grinned; the good brother was just as enthusiastic and cheerful as she remembered him. "Yes, as it so happens. And I could use your help."

She explained what they needed and where they were staying. Burkel was more than happy to provide the garments they required, and he assured her that he could have the required outfit in a few days' time, and that he would send someone to discreetly visit Wynne and tailor it for her. Kai thanked him and took a few candles, bundling them in a handkerchief before taking her leave of the brother.

Once on the throughway, Kai played it casual, wandering over to a merchant's stall and looking over the wares. The Nevarrans seemed to be back in their usual places, looming over the merchants and the citizens who were running their daily errands.

As she anticipated, the woman who watched her and Brother Burkel approached her. "Pardon me, but did I hear you and the brother talking about candles?"

Kai gave the woman a shy smile while taking her measure from under lowered lashes. "Indeed, my lady. The man I work for has an apple orchard, and they have beehives there. We make candles from the wax of the bees. We are able to supply many markets." Kai made a mental note to tell Brannan about the new possibility for income. "The Chantry does love our candles, and the taverns love our mead and cider." Kai held up the cloth-wrapped bundle she had and opened it to show the two golden candles inside. The scent of honey wafted up gently into the air between them.

Kai wondered for a moment if the game would be up as the woman ran a finger down one of the candles. "Yes, this is a lovely candle." She watched as the woman picked it up and sniffed it gently. "Would you mind if I were to purchase these from you? I'm afraid I am not used to the smell of nug fat that they use for their torches here, and I find the... scents here a bit... overwhelming." The lady didn't bother to wait for Kai's response, rather she grabbed up the handkerchief with the remaining candles while dropping a small pile of silver coins in Kai's now empty palm. She bundled up her purchase and waved dismissively to Kai before turning back to her group.

Kai bowed sightly while letting her heart return to its normal beat, and huffed a quiet sigh of relief. She was certainly glad she planned ahead with the candles.

She also felt it prudent not to be seen going into Tapsters in her role of modest merchant. She took herself back to the room she shared with Zev at the inn. She was greeted by Argus and Ser Pounce. After grabbing a book from her pack, she laid on the bed on the bed as the two animals joined her.

She wasn't sure if it was the steady sounds of Argus' deep snores, along with the kitten's purring, that put her to sleep, but she was startled awake when her mabari let out a deep woof as he jerked upright to stare at the door. It opened to reveal her companions, and Kai realized the book was laying across her chest where it came to rest when her eyelids chose to do the same.

She sat up and turned to sit at the edge of the bed as she greeted them. Anders came to sit beside her, grabbing the kitten in a quick little snuggle, which had Kai giggling and the kitten purring. Wynne sat behind them on the bed while Zev pulled up a chair.

"We made contact with our luscious friend Sal. She will see to it that there are two sets of armor, and she will get word to Vartag." Zevran grinned at her while petting Argus, who shoved his big head under the elf's hand.

Anders gave Zevran a grin. "Luscious, indeed! I am hoping for more opportunities to become acquainted with the beautiful and deadly lady."

Zev chuckled and shook his head while addressing Kai. "Ah, our conjuring friend here fell in love when the lovely rogue put her dagger tip under his chin. I think he is smitten."

"Well, you became '_smitten_,' as you call it, with me after I put a dagger pommel to your skull didn't you?" Kai flashed him a wide grin. "You two are so much alike, it is truly frightening."

Anders laughed while raising an eyebrow at Zev. "Maybe it's that we are men who appreciate a woman who can make her... _point_ so succinctly?"

Zevran's response was one of deep throated laughter. Kai figured she had best interrupt them lest they continued on with tales of past conquests, discussions of the female form, or the allure of danger and beauty combined.

_Maker, they really were two peas in a pod!_ Kai gave a mental eye roll at the thought. She told them of her meeting with Burkel and his assurance of the revered vestments for Wynne. She also told them of her meeting with the Navarran about the candles. "Luckily for me, she was self absorbed and arrogant. She took no more notice of me than if I were a lamppost. When she had what she wanted, she dismissed me with nary a second glance."

The rest of her group seemed to give a collective sigh of relief. It was Wynne who spoke next. "Well, we will have our costumes, it seems, so perhaps we had best work on our scripts for the meeting with Bhelen?"

Kai grinned and turned sightly to look at the elder mage. "Speaking of our costumes, won't you get thrown into an Oubliette for impersonating her Revered High-assedness?"

Wynne groaned. "Only if she ever finds out, young lady. And must you use that vulgar term?"

Anders winked and spoke out of the corner of his mouth at Kai, "High-assedness, indeed! You couldn't shove a rock up her bum, the old bag. Her knickers are sucked in from all her bloviating self-importance."

Anders' comment was followed by a loud smack and an "Ow!" from the mage as Wynne's hand shot out and caught him in the back of the head.

Kai bit her lip to keep from laughing as Anders rubbed his skull. She leaned in, and in a conspiratorial tone from the corner of her mouth, said to Anders, "I'm surprised the lace doesn't poke out of her mouth from the suction, the obnoxious old bat." Even though she was expecting it, the loud smack and stinging blow elicited an "Ow!" from her lips as Wynne's hand connected with the back of her head, too.

Without missing a beat, Anders gave Kai a saucy grin. "Well, she certainly is a—"

"Legend in her own mind?" Kai finished saying for him. They both started laughing, which ceased abruptly with exclamations of pain when the air was punctuated by a double 'thwack' sound along with mild groans of distress, followed by peals of laughter as everyone—including Wynne—joined in.


	99. Chapter 100

**BioWare owns all but what I made up. : )**

_I have admit, this is the hardest part for me to write, because I have no idea if any of you are still interested or if you've chalked me up as a done deal and moved on. I am so, so, sorry for taking so long with this chapter. Many things have happened in real life that kept me from writing along with a bad case of writer's block. I owe you all so much more than apologies and I hope this chapter helps a little in making it up to you all. And I hope I have what will be exciting news, I am writing my own original story which I hope to publish as an e-book. I hope you'll like it. I'll let you know when it gets done. It's a terrible thing when the muse goes on a vacation, but she seems to have come back with a vengeance now! : ) Hopefullly, real life will have settled down to let me take advantage of that._

_Again, I am so grateful to all of you. Please know I thought about you all and worried that you'd give up on me. For those that didn't, thank you so very much! And thank you to my newer fans as well. I can't believe (with a lack of posts) that you all are still finding this story, and finding it worthy of putting on alerts. I hope to do better in posting for this and all my stories. _

_Personal thanks to all who've put me and this story on favorites: **rachefoz, Nocterayne, Nemi-chan, Merisell, melgonzo, Parliment of Ravens, Ellika, BurningTheMidnightOil, RavennaL, skorge, Anya Fira, Breaniver, JayBetti, Jdpupstar, Yuki-sama, DragonQueen76, Sara-hold-the-h **(love that name), **pixieO8353, LisaRae, HappyLittleCupcake **(yum), **Selande, Calliope Sol, Volunteer Elf, FriendofSirDidymus** (the air is sweet, and fragrant, and none shall pass),** Vadriel **(whom I owe special apologies to, I really did intend to put the next chapter out when I told you, please forgive me). I love all of the names you all are far more clever than I. And I am so in awe of all of you. Thank you once again, from the bottom of my heart. _

_Thanks also to my betas and friends, I couldn't do half as good a job without them. Ladies, big hugs: ** mckillian, Piceron, Ladyamesindy, Violet Theirin, Stella Smooth**, and **Liso66**. Oh, and the esteemed brownc0at as well. Please check out their works as all of these ladies are writers (and very talented ones) in their own rights. That they help me at all is another blessing and constant source of amazement._

_**Blessings!**_

They arrived back at their rooms at the Hungry Nug inn to find Sal sitting in a chair in Kai and Zev's room, feet propped up on the stone bureau, swigging ale from a tankard while occasionally popping a bit of greasy sausage into her mouth from a plate piled with more of the same.

The dwarva had a book propped in her lap that looked familiar to Kai, and apparently to Wynne as well. "You'd best not be getting greasy fingerprints on those pages, young lady." Wynne cocked an eyebrow at the rogue.

Sal grinned and shut the book closed with the hand holding it and carefully placed the tome down on the bureau away from the ale and sausages. "I may come from the dust, but I do have some manners. Not to mention that I just learned how to read, so books are...precious, shall we say?"

Sal swigged more ale followed by more sausage. She chewed and swallowed ending in a swipe with her hand across her mouth. "This book in particular is precious, for more than one reason. I didn't know that it was possible to do what is described on page fifty-six without some help from elaborate dwarven mechanical devices." The rogue glanced at the binding as if memorizing the letters embossed there. "The Rose of Orlais, must remember to find a copy."

"Oh si, my dear, fellow rogue, mechanical devices can be such fun. And that particular book has many delightful ideas within its pages ." Zev winked at Sal as he sat with Kai on the bed facing their friend while Wynne went to fetch more chairs. "I myself have a fondness for rope. Of course there is something to be said for the amorous effects the outdoors can induce. Why Kai and I-"

Kai stopped him with a finger to his lips while her face flushed which only caused Zev to kiss its tip and laugh. She wrinkled her nose at him and turned to Sal. "Yes, well, we need not go into that."

There was a loud _clomp_ noise as Wynne grabbed 'The Rose of Orlais' shutting it smartly having removed it from Anders who had been flipping through its pages with a look of energetic concentration. "Really, young man, I would think that you don't need any more ideas put into that fevered mind of yours."

Anders blushed causing the room to erupt with laughter.

Kai turned back to Sal. "So, Wynne says that the armor has arrived?"

Sal nodded and flashed a grin at Anders. "Yes, and it's some of the smith's best work. It awaits you in the church. Brother Burkel thought you might all find it more convenient, and less likely to arouse suspicion, if you appeared from the church. The Nevarrans seem to only watch the merchants not the church." Sal leaned forward grabbed the mug next to her plate and drained its contents before swiping her hand across her mouth. "And I have brought cleaning supplies for you to carry with you as volunteers cleaning the place, in case they are looking."

This elicited a moan from Anders followed by an 'ow' as Wynne smacked the mage on the back of the head. "Put on your big boy pants, young man. It isn't as if you'll be the only one in uncomfortable clothing." Wynne cocked an eyebrow while crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wouldn't be groaning if it were pants I'd be wearing instead of that metal monstrosity along with a skirt." Anders grumbled. "It's worse than the man dress for magi."

Kai bit her lip to keep from laughing as she waved a hand to stop Wynne from retorting the younger man. The elder mage turned to Kai, "My clothing arrived from its final alterations by way of Brother Burkel as well."

Kai turned back to Sal. "So when do we gain an audience with King Bhelen?"

"I had Vartag schedule you all to appear at the hour of betting." Sal pointed to the dwarven lyrium clock and the glowing rune on it's surface for the word _bet_. "I thought you might like to have the meeting as soon as possible so you know what awaits you in the Deep Roads. And I thought a certain handsome mage, might appreciate having the time spent in armor as short as possible." Sal winked at Anders. "I also thought that a certain mage, might show his appreciation, privately, for such thoughtfulness?"

Anders grinned. "I think I could work myself up to long periods of gratitude for you, dove."

Kai rolled her eyes at them both before setting them on the clock. Kai was grateful for the timepiece in their room, as one used to using the sun to tell time, the perpetual "twilight" of Orzammar always threw her off. If she hadn't just been on the surface with Zev enjoying lunch and well, other activities, she would have sworn that the hour of betting had long since passed or was still a long way off. "So," Kai glanced at the glowing rune showing the time, "This being the 'hour of sharpening,' we have an hour, if I'm reading that correctly."

Sal grinned and nodded. "Aye, weapons are being honed, armor is being oiled and soaped in readiness for the Proving later. The king will of course attend the Proving to keep up appearances that all is well. Vartag and I figured that The Revered Mother would know no one comes before the king during the hour of Proving."

Kai nodded. "Well then, we'd best get ourselves dressed and made presentable to appear before royal company."

She heard a groan and watched Anders flinch and give the elder mage a cheeky grin before Wynne's hand could be employed to the back of his head again. Kai smiled and shook her head.

Sal only laughed and rose to take her leave, placing the plate of sausages on the floor for Argus and Pounce, with a friendly pat for each. As she made her way to the door, she stroked Ander's arm while batting her eyelashes. "Don't worry handsome, I have some salve and very nimble fingers that are good at buckles. I'm sure I can help ease the pain. I'll be at Tapsters, and if you find you have the energy, we can practice page fifty-six from that book."

Zev chuckled. "That should give you something delightful to focus on rather than the armor, my sparkle fingered friend, no?" He clapped the mage on the shoulder before opening the door for Sal who winked, saluted, and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway. "Such a delightful creature."

"Hah, she reminds me of you!" Kai grinned at him.

"Oh, si, and I am delightful, am I not? Or did our _lunch_ not prove that, my dear Kai?" Zev winked while giving her a lusty smile, making Kai blush and roll her eyes and the others to laugh.

"I walked into that. You are too slick, Zevran, you'll slide out of your coffin." Kai shook her head and indicated they should collect the armor and Wynne's costume and dress for their meeting with Bhelen.

After the long ride on the lift back to the Diamond Quarter-with Kai barely refraining from humming "The Girl from Emponeema Thaig" under her breath-it left only ten minutes until their appointment to spare, Kai wondered if they shouldn't have made the meeting with Bhelen for the hour of singing. It wasn't just Anders' grumbling, but she found herself trying to learn to walk and move in heavy metal armor, accustomed as she was to lighter leather. She felt like a bronto lumbering around and only hoped that her awkwardness wouldn't show and give the game away. More time to wear get used to the weight of metal might not have been amiss. Add, add to that, the helmet was hot, stuffy, and severely limited her vision-something that could prove deadly for a rogue used to lighter leather armor and open helmets.

"I think you look sexy in templar armor, mi gra." Alistair's voice had a teasing tone. "If you wear it in the Fade we can play Templar and naughty mage."

Kai gave him a mental eye roll. "You have been around Zev way too much."

Alistair only laughed. "Yes well, I still couldn't say that without blushing. Which your father finds amusing, by the way. Just glad your mother isn't here to ask me why I'm turning red."

Kai laughed and then sobered immediately. "Really, how did you move in this armor? I feel like a salted fish packed in a barrel." She huffed into the helmet and regretted it. "And this helmet is stifling and I can't see a thing!"

"Well, metal armor is all I have ever worn, so you get used to it. I know I would feel naked in leather armor."

"Naked huh?" Kai gave him a mental grin. "I think I can arrange a much more fun way of feeling naked the next time we meet in the Fade."

She could sense him blushing and shuffling his feet. "Oh you are evil, you're a bad person!"

"Do you hate me?" Kai gave him a mental smile.

"Yes, and I'll show you how much when you come to the Fade, cheeky monkey!" She could feel his smile. "Uh oh, your mother just showed up and asked me why I'm blushing, thank you so much! Must go, bye, my love!"

Kai turned her attention back to trying to walk as if she had worn restrictive metal armor most of her life instead of supple leather. She wondered if Anders, walking in front of Wynne, was having the same difficulties. They surrounded the elder mage, pretending as they were, to be an honor guard for "The Revered Mother".

One good thing about the metal armor Kai found, distracted as she was with just walking, she passed by Harrowmont's estate without feeling the usual wave of guilt over the man.

She made note of the small pockets of Nevarrans throughout the corridor, noticing there were fewer here than in the market and performing mental arithmetic on the possible numbers overall, depending on how many were at Caridin's Cross in the Deep Roads. With groups ranging in number from one to three, and no larger than three, she estimated their overall number to not exceed fifteen, maybe twenty-five at the most here in Orzammar itself. At least she hoped it would be more in the fifteen range. If the Nevarrans were building a golem army in the Deep Roads, surely it wouldn't require more people than that to watch and set off the traps here in the city.

_Sure Kai, keep telling yourself that. And if nugs had wings, they'd be pigeons. Let's face facts, we're running blind_. She could only hope that Bhelen would, Maker please, somehow be able to tell them more despite his extra surveillance. Her mental tirade at herself was interrupted when she almost tripped, as the thick metal toe of her boot caught a crack in a flagstone.

Luckily there weren't eyes to see her stumble-distant as they were from the few merchant stalls allowed in the Diamond Quarter, and its well-to-do citizens were indoors probably eating-what passed for a light meal and dressing for the Proving-though Wynne did look over her shoulder with a cocked eyebrow. Kai shrugged slightly as Wynne could not see her a rueful grin.

They walked up the stone steps to the level of the palace and more steps lead them to the doors of same, with a brief stop as guards enquired as to their business there. The waiting room was filled with more dwarven nobles. Kai watched the guard give a sidelong glance to the side of the room where some of the Nevarran's sat on a bench talking with each other. She watched one of the human strangers nod slightly in the affirmative and tilt their head towards the throne room doors. Kai also noted that her scath Tam and Hugh were in the room as well. She didn't see Sten.

The guard huffed under his breath and spoke to Anders. "Wait here, I will announce your arrival to the king." They watched the man walk to the thick, dwarven iron, throne room doors decorated with the squared spiral design and Aeducan family seal. He knocked, stuck his head inside, and engaged in a brief discussion with someone behind the door before turning his gaze towards them and nodding his head indicating that they should proceed on.

They moved forward through the doorway filing into the spacious room, the sound of the door shutting behind them echoing off the stone walls as all conversations had stopped with all eyes in the room trained on them, before their measure was taken note and conversations started up once more. The only eyes that kept sliding towards them were from the Nevarrans and they were being discrete about it.

The room remained as Kai remembered it from their last visit, one long rectangular space with the throne on a dais at one end and the doors they entered in at the other. A long woolen rug woven with more geometric designs in black, white and red bisected the room leading to the throne. Long stone tables, with benches on either side, held various people in attendance.

Kai noted the Nevarrans seated at those tables-along with various dwarven nobility- and on the benches along the walls. She also made note how some of their strange visitors sat at the tables closest to dais where they could, no doubt, keep their eyes and ears on the king and any visitors.

Sten stood behind and to the right of Vartag who stood right behind the throne . The giant Qunari was in the shadows but not hard to miss.

They walked single file toward the throne, and stood on either side of Wynne, once they reached it. Kai observed Bhelen as they moved toward him, she noted the dark circles under his eyes and the deepening of the lines around his mouth. Dwarves being stout, and muscular folk-with Bhelen being no exception-the dwarven king looked a few stone thinner, as though not only had he not been sleeping, but not eating as well. Not that it surprised her, she doubted she would feel like sleeping or eating if the twins were under constant threat of being dismembered by demons.

Kai's eyes slid toward Vartag Gavorn, Bhelen's right-hand man, best friend, and go to man for dirty deeds done dirt cheap-should the need arise.

Kai's vallaslin were covered by Leli's makeup, and she had pulled her dark curling locks into a severe bun to fit under the helmet-not a hairstyle she favored-yet she knew that Vartag would have recognized her if she removed the headgear, even without the heads up from Sal about her and her team's arrival.

The man was too sharp by half, and his skills, including excellent powers of observation, were part and parcel of what made him such an affective operative in dwarven politics. Kai suspected that Vartag helped procure Bhelen's siblings' downfalls so that the youngest of the Aeducans might have a clear and unhindered path to the very seat on which he now sat. Kai had a moment to wonder if Bhelen was regretting his ambitions for the first time.

Bhelen rose and gave Wynne a short bow which the mage returned. Vartag waved a hand and a couple of servants brought padded wooden chair and small table which they sat on the dais next to the throne. A third servant appeared with a tray containing a bottle of wine, one bottle of-what Kai guessed to be-ale, a mug, a glass, and a plate of fruit. Wynne placed herself in the chair while Kai and Anders took up defensive positions.

Vartag put a stack of parchment, a dwarven ink pen, and a small chest, which he lifted the lid of, to show glowing chunks of lyrium. The 'conversation' began between Bhelen and Wynne in earnest. From what snippets of conversation Kai caught, she was glad Wynne was on their side. She also had insight as to how they obtained so many items for such good prices when it was the elder mage's turn to buy supplies during their Blight days-Wynne was quite the negotiator. Kai would have felt sorry for Bhelen, if this had been a real negotiation that is.

She bit her lower lip to keep from laughing at the thought and sobered immediately. Nothing she had overheard so far seemed to be any sort of code or clue as to the Nevarran mage problem awaiting them in the Deep Roads.

Kai hoped, with the advanced notice, that Vartag and Bhelen would have designed some plan to let them know more about what was going on. But neither the conversation nor the papers-which Vartag took back after Wynne signed them, nor the chest of lyrium-which was also summarily removed-appeared to have any message. In their place Vartag set a carved wooden box on the table opening it to reveal a beautiful chess board inlaid with different colored stone. The pieces matched the board squares and were intricately carved squat pieces in the dwarven style.

Bhelen waved a hand at Vartag, once all the pieces were placed on the board. "Your Reverence, I hope you don't mind if we start our new game in person after our last finished via letter. And I had this set made especially for you after our last meeting."

Bhelen leaned forward with cocked eyebrow while offering Wynne her pick of light or dark pieces, letting the elder mage decide to go first. "It has been thoroughly _inspected_ for quality, I assure you." Bhelen's eyes darted very subtly towards one of the groups of Nevarrans. "In your last letter, you asked me to teach you the strategy that allowed me to checkmate you in twelve moves, did you not?

Bhelen began moving pieces around the board, occasionally asking Wynne to move one of her pieces as well, again nothing in his conversation with the mage gave Kai any clues. She was beginning to wonder if the dwarven king was being watched so closely he dared not send any message their way. If that was the case, it was going to make the trip to the Deep Roads even more tricky and dangerous with what little information they had.

It was as Kai stood worrying into her own skull that the doors to the throne room burst open followed by the sounds of voices raised in argument. One of those voices was extremely familiar...Oghren!

Oghren's cover story, one that the dwarf had come up with on his own-much to everyone's surprise and awe-that having helped stop the Blight, and traveling with the "Hero of Ferelden," being a hero in his own right-and now that Kai was supposedly dead-wanted to re-establish his house in Orzamar.

Oghren's insane, and very dead wife, Branka, ironically enough, had been obsessed with finding the Anvil of the Void and rebuilding a golem army to fight dark spawn and restore the might of the dwarven empire. She had taken their entire house into the Deep Roads, all save Oghren.

Branka's obsession drove her to madness and cruelty, she had used the people of their house, from family members to servants-after the soldiers were dead-as cannon fodder for the darkspawn and the traps Caridin left to deter anyone getting to the anvil. That "fodder" include Branka's lover, Hespeth, who had been tainted and who was slowly becoming a broodmother when they found her. Kai shuddered at the memory of the poor "blighter"-as Oghren would have said-with a second shudder at the horrific process required to make a human, elf, Qunari, or dwarf into one by means of violation and eating the flesh of darkspawn That discovery had caused Kai months of nightmares added to the ones that already occurred due to the taint.

And here she was, putting herself back in the Deep Roads and darkspawn territory. "Mi gra." Alistair's soothing voice echoed in her head and she gave him a wan mental smile.

In the end, Branka had forced Kai to kill her, once the knowledge of how golems were made-using live dwarves against their will when volunteers were lacking-was revealed by Caridin who had been turned into a golem himself for protesting. He exposed the dwarven empire's embarrassing secret past and Kai had taken Caridin's hammer, and with his blessing, destroyed the anvil-or so she'd thought-smashing it into pieces. Caridn thanked her, then threw himself into a lava channel lest anyone try and pry the secret of its making from is creator.

Now here they were again, waiting to go back to the Deep Roads and the very anvil which should not exist-Kai having thrown the anvil's rubble in after Caridin.

Oghren made his way towards the dais weaving slightly and his odor arrived at the throne before he did. He smelled as if he had fallen in a vat of lichen ale. He pointed a finger drunkenly at Bhelen as the guards tried unsuccessfully to restrain him. "Oi, you sodding nug humper, you promised me a meeting!"

Bhelen waved the guards off. "I was hoping you'd be sober Oghren, though I should have known that to be wishful thinking." Bhelen crossed his arms over his chest. "Traveling with the 'Hero of Ferelden' apparently did nothing for you. Still the same drunken lout you were before Branka up and left you behind."

Oghren roared and stumbled forwards reaching for Bhelen but the small table was in the way which he bounced off of scattering the chess pieces. Kai leapt forward grabbing Oghren with both hands by the front of his shirt, under the pretense of protecting Wynne, while Anders jumped in front of the mage doing the same.

The dwarf smelled even worse up close, but his breath was clean-at least of alcohol-when he bellowed and protested at her. He winked at her before he slapped at the metal chest of her armor as if trying to get away. Kai obliged and shoved him backwards where he fell as if in a drunken heap.

True to his part, Oghren grumbled as he picked himself up. "Sodding cloud head! I am a warrior and a hero!" He swayed on his feet.

Bhelen merely motioned to Sten, who nodded and grabbed Oghren by the scruff of the neck. "You are here without an appointment, Oghren. You're a loud and lousy drunk. Your 'hero' status went the way of that woman you fought the Blight with. I decide if you are a hero, and I decide if you get your house back." Bhelen motioned to Vartag who handed him a fresh mug of ale-the other having rolled across the floor spilling its contents.

Bhelen took a long gulp before handing it back. "I have a job for you Oghren. If you complete your task, I'll restore your name, your house, and your money." Bhelen gave a harsh bark of laughter. "I might even make you a paragon."

Oghren shot Bhelen a resentful look. "And what task would that be?"

"I need an envoy to visit Kal-Sharok." Bhelen nodded to Sten. "Make sure he packs and escort him to the Deep Roads. Take Tam and Hugh with you. He may be a drunkard but he does know how to fight, as long as he can stay standing."

Sten nodded and simply used his large hand on Oghren's neck to "steer" the protesting dwarf towards the door. Once closed, all noise was cut off, throwing the room into a sort of stunned silence before soft conversation resumed once more.

Vartag motioned for a servant to come and retrieve fallen chess pieces, and for another to clean the spilled ale and wine that splattered the floor.

Once the table had been righted and the box for the chess pieces and board placed on it, Wynne scooped pieces out of her lap with an air of affronted dignity and placed them back into their slots. With the board and pieces safely tucked away Wynne handed the box to Kai with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Bhelen apologized and arranged for Wynne to be served a fresh glass of wine while he and she chatted, looking nothing so much more than a couple of political heavy hitters having a conversation to smooth ruffled feathers.

Kai schooled herself to hold the box as if it held nothing of real importance, though she realized that Oghren must have created a diversion for Bhelen or Vartag to get a message to them and it probably rested in her hands.

It took all of her rogue discipline not to squirm with impatience to leave and not leap forward when Wynne finally rose to extend her hand to Bhelen in farewell. Bhelen made mouths about the palace being at her disposal for the night or as long as she cared to stay. Wynne demurred saying that her meeting with Bhelen had been a convenient stop on her way to the mage tower for pressing business regarding the templars there-for which she thanked him for allowing her to arrange short would stay in Watersedge before taking a ship to Kinloch Hold the following morning-and this all said for the convenience of the prying eyes and ears in the room.

Bhelen merely nodded and motioned for one of the guards by the door to escort them from the throne room and back to the corridor in front of the palace. They made their way to the lift and back down to the Market area.

The doors opened and Brother Burkel appeared on cue to escort Wynne back to the church for a final blessing. They passed all the Nevarrans in the market before ducking into the church to change into civilian clothing.

As they exited the church doors loud shouting could be heard echoing of the stone walls and high ceiling of the market area. Oghren's shouts filling the large open room as he was escorted to the Deep Roads. Dwarves ran past gathering in a crowd to watch, as did the Nevarrans. Kai and her group followed suit and pretended to give up when they couldn't see through the crowd already there. They took themselves back to the inn with the box with the chessboard and pieces safely wrapped in the rags and stuffed in the basket with the cleaning supplies used as their excuse for being in the church for such a long time. Kai made a mental note to thank Sal for being such a devious person. That is, Kai would thank her when Sal and Anders emerged from enjoying the pleasures of each others' company. Kai shook her head and laughed as Anders took his leave of them and disappeared into Tapsters in search of their delightful friend.


End file.
